Sam Farr

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I wish today to speak with great pride in paying tribute to an outstanding native Californian, Mr. Harold H. Seyferth. I had the privilege to speak at Mr. Seyferth's retirement party a year ago, and again am honored with the opportunity to speak about such an inspiring and motivating person. I am privileged to have worked with Mr. Seyferth in the community for he has shown tremendous leadership in California. Mr. Harold Seyferth was born in Stockton, California, on the 22nd of January in 1922. Fifty-eight years ago Mr. Seyferth joined the United States Navy. He trained for the Amphibious Forces and spent the balance of his naval career on LCT 173 making landings on islands in the Pacific; Mr. Seyferth has since then continued working in both our national and local communities. A committed, other-oriented and hard- working man, Harold Seyferth followed in his father's footsteps and became a Locomotive Engineer with Western Pacific Railroad after returning from WWII. Three years after completing his military duties, he entered California State University at San Jose. As a university student, he attended daytime classes, worked at night and still found time to become involved in student government and several other organizations. He proceeded to graduate with honors and moved on to Stanford University. Upon completing his graduate work, Mr. Seyferth earned a fellowship in Public Affairs with the CORO Foundation. Mr. Seyferth's community work is quite admirable and has positively affected multitudes of people. He has worked at various levels of government including an internship with the city of Oakland, San Jose City Planner, and an assistant to the City Manager of San Jose. He later became a planning consultant for the city of Mountain View and subsequently moved on to be City Manager for the city of Hollister. He also served as Property Manager for the city of Salinas and Chief Land Officer for the city of Seaside. In addition to his devotion to civil service, he has been an educator in many schools and communities. Throughout his lifetime, Mr. Seyferth has taught at Golden Gate University, San Jose State University, Hartnell College, Monterey College of Law, Monterey Peninsula College and various other professional seminars. In recognition of his exemplary work Mr. Seyferth has earned the following honors: All American City Citizen Award, City of San Jose; Outstanding Citizen, City of San Jose; Charter Revision Commission, City of San Jose; Board of Directors, Boy's City Boys Club, San Jose; Board of Directors, American Cancer Society, San Jose; Board of Directors, Santa Clara County Farm Bureau; Board of Trustees, Enterprise School District; Chairman, Monterey County Parks Commission; Chairman, Citizens Advisory Committee, Local Coastal Plan; Chairman, Malpaso Property Owners Association; Chairman, Carmel Rivers Mutual Water Company; President, Monterey Peninsula Chapter, AARP; President, San Jose University Alumni Association, Monterey County Chapter; Founding member, Board of Directors-Friends of CSUMB; AARP/VOTE Coordinator 17th Congressional District; Board of Directors, Mariposa Hall, Inc.; Who's Who in America; Who's Who in the West; Who's Who in California; and Who's Who in Real Estate. A commendable, multi-talented and multi-interested man, Mr. Seyferth has continuously devoted himself to our community. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor and true privilege to recognize and commend a hard working member of our community, a father, a leader and my friend.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I wish today to honor a true patriot, soldier and citizen. U.S. Army Colonel Daniel Devlin, who has helped shape thousands of young soldiers as the Installation Commander at the Defense Language Institute, Foreign Language Center and Presidio of Monterey, will be retiring from the Army after 31 years of service to his country. Colonel Devlin began his service as an Armor Second Lieutenant in 1969, having graduated as a Distinguished Military Graduate from North Dakota State University. After service in various assignments from 1969-1976, he was selected for Soviet/East European Foreign Officer training, and attended civilian schools, the U.S. Army Russian Institute, and Command and General Staff College. From 1983-88 he served in the 66th Military Intelligence Group/Brigade with various assignments, and from 1988-90 he commanded the 6th Psychological Operations Battalion (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. During Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Colonel Devlin served as the Deputy Commander, 4th Psychological Operations Group in Saudi Arabia, then as a liaison officer to the American Embassy in Cairo, and finally as a liaison officer to the Joint Special Operations Command. In June of 1992, Colonel Devlin was assigned to the Pentagon as Chief of Psychological Operations and Civil Affairs for the Joint Staff. My close association with Colonel Devlin began in February of 1996, when he came to Monterey to begin his tenure as Installation Commander of the Defense Language Institute and Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC), the premier foreign language school for the Department of Defense. His tenure at DLIFLC has resulted in a stronger and more vibrant academic and military institution. He created a teaching environment for DLI's highly qualified native language proficiency faculty that encouraged them to enhance their professionalism, resulting in the highest student proficiency scores. Language proficiency is an equally important aspect of post-Cold War military readiness. Also, Col. Devlin initiated a culture of ``customer service'' among the faculty and staff at the installation, through such means as pay increases based on merit and student performance. Mr. Speaker, I have the unique distinction among my colleagues of representing the former Fort Ord, the largest closed military base in the nation. As the Installation Commander who oversaw the closure of a military community that once housed 29,000 residents, Colonel Devlin and I had the opportunity to work closely together, and I can truly attest to his leadership qualities, commitment to duty, attention to detail and willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty to ensure the smoothest possible transition to civilian use of the nation's largest piece of military real estate. While some of the most difficult challenges of closing the former Ford Ord are behind us, I regret that I am losing a close associate as the next phase of economic revitalization occurs on the Monterey Peninsula. Webster's Dictionary defines friend as ``a person whom one knows, likes and trust.'' Colonel Dan Devlin has truly been a friend to all residents of the Monterey Peninsula, and I am proud to call him my friend. I know all present today join me in wishing Colonel Devlin and his family a richly deserved retirement.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I was not going to speak tonight but I cannot believe what I am hearing, this forked tongue talk. First we have the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Foley) saying we are going to come down here tomorrow and we are going to pass a bill and we have enough people to do that. And then he gets up and says nothing can happen in Washington because the President is moving around the country. Thank God the President is moving around the country. Thank God over 100 Members of Congress are not here tonight. Know where they are? They are out where the American people want Members of Congress to be on the eve of an election. They want to be face-to-face with the people they are going to vote with. Thank God the President is moving around the country. This is a sham what is going on here. This is an attempt to try to keep some endangered species. Mr. Speaker, I have heard word on the Republican side of the aisle that some of their Members are saying it is a lot safer for them to be here because they are running such tough races, and if they have to get out there and respond to the challenger's opposition, they could not make it, they are not going to get elected. What a sham. The Republicans control this place, all the rules, all the committees, all the decisions, all the votes. The Republicans have the majority. They can get in here and out of here as fast as they want to. So just because the President is traveling around the country; as commander in chief he can travel all over the world and do American business. Thank God he is not in Washington, and we should not be in Washington, either.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, today I honor the life of Donald ``Dudley'' Chapin Sr., who passed away September 25, 2000. Mr. Chapin was a veteran, volunteer, and builder who will be fondly remembered by many on the Central Coast of California. Born on June 5, 1925, in Salinas, California, Mr. Chapin co-founded Chapin & Clark with his partner Bob Clark in 1963. He later went on to co-found Don Chapin Inc., a general engineering contracting company, with his son Don Chapin Jr. in 1978. Don Chapin Inc. has performed work on thousands of jobs in the past two decades, including major work at the Salinas and Watsonville airports, and currently employs about 200 people. Mr. Chapin served in the Army Air Corps, during World War II in the Pacific Theater. Deeply moved by his experiences in the Army, he was active in the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and served as commander of the American Legion in Watsonville. In addition to his service to veterans, he also volunteered for the Salsipuedes Fire Board and the Santa Cruz County Fair. Donald Chapin was a man whose building projects will leave a lasting imprint on the layout of cities such as Salinas and Watsonville, and whose life will leave an equal imprint on those who knew him. He will be sorely missed by his wife of 49 years, Grace; is son, Don Jr. of Salinas; his daughters, Marilyn Valentine of Denver, Janet Snoddlery of Porterville, Carol Howard of Salinas and Sharon Holmes of Aromas; three brothers, Ben Chapin of Santa Clara, Rap Chapin of Santa Rosa and Richard Chapin of Payson, Arizona; three sisters, Marge Cerletti and Mary Pedrone of Santa Clara, and Betty Shaeffer of Paso Robles; 12 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, today I honor the life of a woman who was a pioneer and an activist in many ways. Nancy W. Dodd was a woman who devoted her life to helping individuals and families cope with alcoholism and abuse, and has touched more lives than we can count. On September 5, 2000, Nancy passed away in her home after a long illness. Nancy was born in Dallas, TX, in 1935 and 1965, she moved to Salinas, CA. It was here that she founded, with her husband, the Sun Street Centers. At Sun Street Centers, which still thrives today, Nancy began a new approach to alcohol recovery where, within the context of a residential treatment facility, she worked with the families of those she cared for in order to overcome alcoholism. This treatment model continues to be used on a state and national level in helping the individuals and families that are affected by alcoholism. The Sun Street Centers have served more than 60,000 people in Monterey County, to date. Ms. Dodd was also active in Al-Anon for 36 years, and served as the Alcohol Program Administrator for San Benito County, California. It was in this role that she created the Community Recovery Center for that county, serving similar needs as her Sun Street Centers. Recently, as a tribute to her impact on the Monterey County community, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors named a currently developing community center The Nancy Dodd Community Center. In the resolution for this act, they praised her as ``* * * A leader in the alcohol family recovery field'' and proclaimed the new center's name ``* * * In recognition of her dedication and service to the community''. As an educator on the subject of treatment, Nancy lectured at colleges and universities throughout California, and was a frequent participant in the Episcopal Cursillo. As a member of the Good Shepard Episcopal Church she served as a junior warden, among other roles. She was a member and former president of the Democratic Women's Club of Monterey County, and a former board member and officer of the Women's Crisis Center and the Family Resource Center. Nancy W. Dodd was a vibrant and energetic voice in the community. She will be sorely missed by her husband, Martin; her two sons, Martin Dodd III of Berkeley, CA, and Wesley Dodd of Clovis, CA.; two daughters, Elaine Dodd and Cheryl Merrill, of Salinas, CA; two sisters, Janice Seldomridge of Savannah, GA., and Penny Sieg of Jacksonville, FL; nine grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this rule. The underlying bill has some good news in it, and that is there are more programs and more money for coastal impacted areas, for oceans and Great Lakes and wildlife. But that is only on the surface. The bad news is that those monies are sucked away for pork for earmarks, for projects that have fingerprints all over them for special interests in particular districts in this country. So they are taking generic money that is supposed to be used for non- point-source pollution, which should affect every one of the 50 States, and putting more money into it and then sucking it away, so that there is only $10 million left for the entire country. And where does that money go? It goes to specific projects in specific States that are partisan and very biased. Most of it, I have to say, is not from this House. It is from the other body. The other side is grabbing money that we in the House of Representatives ought to be applying to all the people of the United States so that they can have some special interests. That is wrong, and it is so wrong that people should vote no on this rule.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to commend and congratulate the Porter family from my district for preserving the California heritage that is threatened daily by the pressures of urban sprawl. According to the California Department of Conservation nearly 70,000 acres of open space was devoured by development in my state between 1996 and 1998. Soaring land values and the incessant demand for new homes and stores often make it hard for rural families to say no when developers want to buy their land. But the Porters already have their minds made up. Bernice H. Porter's estate recently bequeathed the family's 684-acre Circle P Ranch in the Pajaro Valley to the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County. The family's perpetual agricultural conservation easement is a major coup for the land trust, a small local non-profit group. It is the land trust's largest easement of this kind, ever. Under the terms of the easement, the ranch can only be used for grazing and irrigated agriculture. It cannot be subdivided or developed now or by any future owner. The parcel stretches for miles east of the city of Watsonville, with farming and ranching operations side by side. The rolling hills at the base of the Santa Cruz Mountains are green or gold depending on the season. Bernice's daughter Diane Porter Cooley said recently that the hills help to define the local climate and ``form the scenic and historic backdrop for the valley.'' They should be preserved, she added, not only for the sake of agriculture, not only for the rare habitats they contain, but also because they are simply beautiful to behold. There are deer, coyotes, bobcats and a wide variety of birds. For decades, the Porter family has invited school and church groups, history buffs and birding enthusiasts to tour the ranch. The Porters and others who bequeath their land in a conservation easement often receive some tax incentives. With today's soaring land values in California, estate taxes can often be a real burden, and conservation easements can provide some relief. But the Porters' decision went far beyond good business sense. Increasingly in California, we are dependent upon farmers and ranchers to act as stewards for our rapidly vanishing farm land and open space. And the Porters have clearly risen to the occasion. This family embodies what is best about our California heritage--deep reverence for our shared past and great concern for our destiny. These actions should serve as a model for land owners in California. Land assets should be used to preserve the heritage of our great state and our families, for the benefit of all who ever live among us. I encourage others to follow the Porters' example.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, today I honor the life of Zoe Ann Orr Marcus of Watsonville, California. Ms. Marcus, an integral part of the Pajaro Valley communities, died on Thursday, September 28, 2000. Zoe was born in 1913 in Berkeley, California, but soon moved south to San Jose with her parents. She graduated from Stanford University with a degree in biological sciences, and received her master's degree in marine biology from Hopkins Marine Station in Pacific Grove. She later returned to Stanford to earn her teaching credentials. It was at Stanford that she met her future husband, Frank Fletcher Orr, and they were married in 1941. At that time, Mr. Orr was the managing editor of the Watsonville Register Pajaronian, but he was to later serve with the U.S. Army in the European Theater during World War II. While he served as chief of still-picture operations, Ms. Marcus taught at Woods Hole Marine Institute in Massachusetts. After the war, the couple returned to Watsonville, and in 1949 Mr. Orr was named editor of the Pajaronian. It was at this time that Mr. Orr purchased his family homestead on what is now East Beach Street in Watsonville. This Victorian farmhouse was built in 1868 by Mr. Orr's great-grandfather, Godfrey Bockius. Bockius was one of the original organizers of the town of Watsonville, and was eventually elected as a county judge and a state assemblyman. Zoe and Frank restored this house together, adding a wing and modernizing many features of the original building. It was in this house that the Orr's entertained members of the Pajaronian staff, local community members, and the heads of local arts groups. Zoe's reputation as the pre-eminent hostess was well known throughout Santa Cruz County and the Pajaro Valley. Frank Orr passed away in 1985, and in 1989 Zoe and long-time family friend Gerald Marcus were married. It was in these years that Ms. Marcus was most active in her community. Perhaps one of her most enduring legacies was her donation of the Bockius-Orr house and its lands to the Pajaro Valley Historical Association in 1991. The Association uses this house as an office and a museum open to the public. Zoe was also active in the Girl Scouts, the Santa Cruz Symphony, the Cabrillo Music Festival, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, the Cabrillo Foundation, the Greater Santa Cruz County Community Foundation and the American Association of University Women. She was honored for her volunteer work by both the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors and the University of California, Santa Cruz. Mr. Speaker, as you can see, Zoe Ann Orr Marcus was an important part of many different aspects of life in Santa Cruz County and beyond, and will be sorely missed by her stepdaughter Mary Marcus of Capitola; stepson John Marcus of Watsonville; and cousin Betty Ann Chandler of San Jose. Her familiar presence will also be missed by the many people who have been touched by her energy and passion for life.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I rise on the issue of drug reimportation. I am on the committee. I support the agricultural bill, I think it is a good bill, but I think there is a part of it that we have got to wake up. The question is, when is drug reimportation not an importation? I hope that the Members of this Congress and particularly the press will take a look at the small print in this bill, specifically, the technical amendments to the underlying bill. Take a look at page 41, for example. That bill is the one that talks about reimportation of drugs. On page 41 we see a subsection entitled F which says ``Country Limitation.'' If you go to the language, it reads, ``Drugs may be imported only, only from the countries that are listed in subparagraph A of section 802(b)(1).'' That is not in this bill, so you have got to go someplace else and look it up. Here is the sham. If you turn to that section in existing law, one finds that it only lists those countries where American drug companies can send unapproved products. That is the title of that section, ``Unapproved Products.'' Here is the trap. American companies can send out but cannot reimport, because we do not allow unapproved products to come back into the United States. I hope the American press can do what the congressional staff has failed to do and that is to tell the truth about this section. The drug provisions are a sham. There is no reimportation. I ask for a no vote on the rule.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, as cochair of the House Travel and Tourism Caucus, I express my strong support for passage of the Visa Waiver Permanent Program Act (H.R. 3767) to permanently reauthorize the Visa Waiver Pilot Program. The Visa Waiver Program facilitates and streamlines international travel by allowing visitors from 29 low-risk countries to enter the U.S. visa-free for up to 90 days. A permanent program will encourage international travel to the United States at a time when we should be promoting the U.S. travel and tourism industry. As the fastest growing industry in the United States, the third-largest retail industry, and one of the Nation's largest employers, tourism is one of our most vibrant economic industries. More than 46 million international visitors come to the United States each year, and the numbers keep on increasing. These tourists spend more than $90 billion in the United States, supporting directly and indirectly 16.9 million American jobs, and creating a tourism trade surplus of $14.2 billion. More than 94 percent of these jobs are created by small businesses located in communities in every corner of the United States. In fact, the travel industry provides jobs for more than 800,000 people in California and 20,000 in my district alone. As the second largest economic engine on the central coast, bringing in $1.5 billion a year, tourism is absolutely integral to my district's economic success story. Nearly half of all overseas visitors currently arrive under the Visa Waiver Program. Without this program, the number of international tourists will decrease substantially--which will be felt on Main Street, USA nationwide. This success of the Visa Waiver Program has been an integral component in our increased international tourism, which has in turn provided substantial economic benefits to the United States. Therefore, on behalf of bed and breakfasts, retail shop owners, taxi drivers and tour operators across the Nation, I urge your support for making the Visa Waiver Pilot Program permanent.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Dicks) for yielding me this time. I thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula) for bringing this bill to the floor. Many of us came to Washington, came to this House hoping that we could better use the national resources, the national treasure that we have to help preserve local initiatives in trying to build more livable communities. In thinking about it, I am sure my colleagues will agree that the most beautiful communities in the United States are usually the most economically successful. So economic development goes hand-in-hand with environmental protection or land stewardship, and this is the bill for the first time in history that allows this relationship to truly work. I am here to applaud, to thank and praise my colleagues. For the first time since the inception of the Land and Water Conservation Fund in 1965, these funds are now earmarked for the purpose they were originally intended. That means they cannot be used for other purposes. Historically, in Congress, every time we had another problem, we would dip into that pot and use those funds. This committee changed that, and I thank them. The people that will really thank this committee and this Congress is every county in the United States, every State in the United States, every community that now has a lot of passion about trying to work in environmental stewardship because they now have a new partner, and that partner will be the Federal Government, in a lot of different programs. Certainly every employee of the BLM, and people who follow the Bureau of Land Management; every employee of the U.S. Forest Service, of the United States Park Service, of the U.S. Wildlife Service, and the refuges that they help protect will benefit. I just want to conclude, Mr. Speaker, by thanking the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula). I have served in the Congress with him and know him very well, and he is truly one of the leaders that people have talked about. Things do not get done in politics unless there is leadership. I want to thank all my colleagues, all the names that have been mentioned here today, because all America benefits. It takes leadership to lift the political tide, and those Members have lifted that political tide forever.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, today I pay tribute to a woman who helped shape the history of the State of California, and in the process touched the lives of countless individuals. Ms. Florence Walton Richardson Wyckoff, who would have been 95 this week, died in her sleep on September 20, 2000 in her Watsonville, California home. Florence was born on October 5, 1905, to Leon J. Richardson and Maud Wilkinson Richardson in Berkeley, California. She earned a B.A. in fine arts at the University of California, Berkeley, in 1926, and it was there that she met her future husband, Hubert Coke Wyckoff. In 1931 they married and moved to San Francisco, where Florence became involved with politics and what would become her life's work, activism. While in San Francisco, she worked with the San Francisco Theater Union and the National Consumers League for Fair Labor Standards. She also worked with the gubernatorial campaign of Cuthbert L. Olsen, and was appointed by Governor Olsen as Director of Community Relations for the California State Relief Administration. It was in this position that she began traveling and investigating the living conditions of farm laborers in this country. Shocked by the standards she saw, and by the lack of access to such basic necessities as education and healthcare for migrant workers, she became a powerful lobbyist for social change in these areas. During World War II, her husband, Hubert, recruited my father, the late Senator Farr, to work at his side in Washington, DC as a Deputy Administrator in the War Shipping Administration. While in Washington, Florence testified before congressional committees for minimum wages and public health improvements for farm workers. It was at this time that she also served on the Boards of Directors of the National Consumers League and Food For Freedom. After returning to California, she worked to begin the first citizen's health council in Santa Cruz County, and was appointed by Governor Earl Warren to the Advisory Committee on Children and Youth. She served on this board for twenty years under four governors, and worked to establish health-care clinics for farm workers along the migrant routes used in the nation. Additionally, she was appointed by Governor Edmund G. ``Pat'' Brown to the State Board of Public Health in 1961, and it was during this time that Florence was integral to the creation and passage of the Federal Migrant Health Act, which remains in effect today. Never one to sit down when she was needed, she continued to work tirelessly almost until the day she passed away. She helped found organizations that would assist migrant children in attending college, and was a crusader in promoting reading and education among all children. Her last project was the successful recent opening of the Freedom Branch Library, which began as a small library for the children of migrant workers. Florence was also active in many organizations, including Migration, Adaptation in the Americas (MAIA), The Friends of the Freedom Library, The Corralitos Valley Community Council, the Coastal Resource Management Project, the Migrant Agricultural History Archive at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and the Santa Cruz County Community Foundation Board. I will really miss one of my late mother and father's best friends. I will miss her smile, charm, love for friends and never ending support and stories of my parents as young activists. As described to me, she was a leader in her life in creating a more compassionate and just society. We have lost a person of history who made this country a better place because of her deeds. Described by friends and family as ``tenacious and determined,'' ``influential'' and ``caring,'' and ``A woman that made a difference,'' Florence Wyckoff will be sorely missed by her sister, Jane R. Hanks of North Bennington, Vermont, as well as the many nephews, nieces, friends and the California community, in general.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, today I honor the life of an exceptional woman, Ms. Dorothy Lund of Pacific Grove, California. Dorothy was a much loved teacher and political activist. The community mourns her death, Dorothy passed on September 2, 2000. Born January 18, 1924 in Champaign, Illinois, Dorothy Lund graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she earned a degree in journalism. She also earned credentials in speech and language at St. Cloud State University before serving in the Women's Army Corps during the Korean War. During her time of service, she was awarded a regular Army commission after graduating with honors from Officer Candidate School. On returning to civilian life, Ms. Lund taught in communities across this country, in Columbus, Georgia, later in Oakland, California, and eventually in Salinas, California, where she taught for 27 years. Dorothy grew to reflect the voices of this exciting region, serving as an outspoken member of the California Teachers Association at the local, state and national level. She became an advocate for the needs of children in schools that were changing demographically, that are overcrowded, and under-served. She was also involved with organizations such as the Episcopal Homes Foundation, the League of Women Voters, the Democratic Women's Club of Monterey County, and the Monterey County Democratic Central Committee, serving on their boards of directors. She was also a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Clan McKenzie Society, and Phi Delta Kappa. A dynamic force in Monterey County, California, and beyond, Dorothy will be sorely missed by her two daughters, Annabel of Juneau, Alaska, and Christina of Washington, DC, as well as countless teachers, students and other community members who were touched by her life.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to admonish this country, it is a shame that we are here talk, talk, talk, and not doing anything about prescription drugs. My daughter recounted to me a story last Saturday night when she was in a pharmacy at midnight on Saturday night, to pick up some pain medicine. She told me that the people waiting in line there were limited English speaking, about eight families. One of the gentlemen was pleading with the pharmacist to sell him at least two of the pills that were prescribed, he could not afford the whole package, because his infant daughter was sick and needed these prescription drugs. But the pharmacist would not sell the drugs to him because he could not buy the entire package, the entire dosage which the doctors recommend. He said, ``I cannot afford it. Give me two now, and I will come back in a couple of days and buy the rest of them.'' It went on and on, and the pharmacist would not sell it because the process would not allow them to do it, and the person could not afford the drugs. He was in tears, as any parent would be. Shame on America that we cannot take care of people; we cannot even disburse those drugs that have been prescribed because people cannot pay for them. Shame on the drug companies. Shame on the process. Shame on Congress for not correcting it.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I express my strong support of the Violence Against Women Act. This Act reflects my belief that we have not only the ability to protect members of our communities, but the responsibility to do so. In this case, these members are our mothers and daughters, our sisters and friends, and ourselves. The passage of the Violence Against Women Act will change individual lives. We will reduce domestic violence by reauthorizing funds for battered women's shelters and a National Domestic Violence Hotline. We will decrease the incidence of stalking and sexual assault by funding crime databases and establishing a National Resource Center on Sexual Assault. We will help heal the emotional scars of these crimes by offering the services of victim counselors. I believe we can do all of this, and we must. The passage of the Violence Against Women Act will also change communities. VAWA includes provisions for funding local initiatives to address violence against women. This local involvement demonstrates that we can change the conditions that make women and children feel vulnerable or threatened and thus foster a new sense of security for all. In doing so, we also send a message to communities worldwide that violence against women deserves attention and action. I ask my colleagues to listen carefully to all of the women and members of their families and communities who ask for this bill passage, and to add your voices to theirs. I am proud to add mine.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Well, I think that is my point, and the point is that leadership is about getting results. We are into an election- year mode. We all know what is going on in this country, and if we watch the people, it is so easy at this time of the year, this time of elections, to listen to people complain. It is easy to criticize. It is easy to find fault. It is easy to be negative. It is very difficult in the political arena, in a bipartisan fashion, to forge something that can be signed into law and that can be instrumental in helping solve the problem. That is the measure of leadership, is what kind of results are you getting. To do nothing is not a result, particularly when it is dealing with how do you clean up the air, how do you clean up the water, how do you clean up the oceans, how do you make transportation more accessible, affordable and certainly less congestive. If it is just complaining about it, it is not getting results. So I am really worried because I see a potential for an administration to come in here to usurp the kind of local and State controls that we have had in law and instead of working with them essentially being in opposition to them. In order to solve water problems in America, we are going to have to actually be more conservative. We are going to have to conserve more water. That means we have to waste less water. Now, do we have to build water facilities? Yes, but we do not have to build them as big as dam builders would say they have to be built or as many as they say have to be built. There are compromises here, but the compromise, first of all, is using less, wasting less, recycling more. In land use, we cannot solve our problems in land use by just allowing cities to go out, particularly in areas where there are prime agricultural lands. In California, this is our biggest struggle, urban sprawl. Everybody needs housing. It is so easy to just go out and pave over the orchard, pave over the lettuce field, pave over the cattle grazing area. Then you have houses spread all out. And guess where all the jobs are? Downtown. Tough commute into town and all of a sudden you are now creating air pollution, and you have created an unsolvable problem. How do you do that? You look around to cities that have grown up around this world; you look to Europe which has had cities a lot longer than the United States and guess what? Some of those cities are still absolutely gorgeous cities because they put urban limit lines on them and said you are going to grow up rather than grow out; you are going to use space better downtown than you have used it; you are going to bring people back into the urban area; you are going to live in densities that are attractive, that are architectural in planning; you are going to use land, you are going to use resources appropriately. Agricultural preservation means you have to make sure that the agricultural land cannot be converted to real estate. You do that by not selling to development. The owner owns this, this is a free market system, a willing seller says, look, I would like my land taxes reduced. I would like to have my inheritance taxes reduced. I am willing to sell you the development rights on this land and then the land, no matter who inherits it or buys it, will only be able to do agriculture on it. That is wise. That is wise use. We have done that in most of our communities. We have zoned areas saying you can only have a building of a certain height; or you live in a residential area, you do not buy a house saying I am buying this house today so that I can tear it down tomorrow to build a factory on it or to build a gas station on it. Neighborhoods would never allow that to occur. So we need to treat our precious agricultural land just as respectfully as we treat our residential land, and we need to know where one begins and the other ends; transportation, quality of life issues. Lastly, I would just like to say that I represent an area that has learned that the ocean is our new frontier. We have all said here on the floor of the Congress that we know more about the Moon and Mars than we know about our own oceans. That is a huge exploration responsibility. One of the things we have tried to say in California is, look, our coastline is our largest economic engine. It is where our commercial tourism, it is where our dependence on boats getting in and out of harbors, it is an area where disasters, such as oil spills, could ruin the coastal economy, the number one zone of economy in California. What we are really worried about is that we could have the next President of the United States, the governor of Texas, if he were the President, he could sign an executive order lifting the moratorium on offshore oil drilling that we hailed and applauded President Clinton and Vice President Al Gore in deciding when they came to the first Oceans Conference in Monterey Bay. This administration made a statement that they thought the oceans were important enough that we really ought to commitment a long-term agenda to understanding the conflicts of the sea, to understanding the resources of the sea, and to understanding how we can appropriately manage those. In doing that, the President said we do not need to drill this oil right now. It has been here for millions of years, and it can be here for a long time before we have to drill it because we can allow technology to catch up, we can allow less reliance on oil to catch up. Guess what? He did that by executive order and that same pen could unchange that if it were in the hands of a President who was pro-oil, who is very involved in allowing gulf oil to be developed. That would ruin the coast of California. So I am very, very worried that the record of the candidate, of the governor of Texas, on the environmental issues, could literally destroy the green economy that California has so successfully built up. I bring that record to the floor tonight with a real element of concern. I appreciate the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer) for yielding his time to me to make that statement.

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer) for yielding the time to me and, Mr. Speaker, for you allowing us to have this time and this discussion. As the gentleman stated, I am a Congressman from California. California is very proud of being a State that is dealing with a lot of issues on the environment. I mean, the fact of the matter is that California has such a diverse geography, a geography that is noted by its forests in the north and its deserts in the south, by its magnificent Sierra Nevadas on the east and its incredible coast line on the west. And in that diversity of geography, lives 33 million people, the most multicultured democracy on the face of the Earth. And California is a testing area for the globe, not only for our Nation. It is a State that has learned that you cannot take care of the people unless you take care of the land. And we have developed in California a very extensive way of addressing the impacts of people in the land through zoning process and master planning that cities and counties must do. General plans that are in great detail. And what has this evolved into. It has evolved into the most successful economic State in the United States. An economy that ranks 7th in the world in gross national product. What it tells my colleagues is that there is indeed a correlation between the economy and the environment. We cannot grow the specialty crops that we grow in the Salinas Valley in the central part of California anywhere else in the world, because we have a climate that is dependent on clean air, clean water, a coastal fog belt climate that has a temperature that allows us to grow 85 different crops in just Monterey County alone, that is more than any other crops that any other States in the United States gross. We have an economy in California that flourishes with tourists who come to the State, attracted by its scenic wonders, by the Yosemites, by the San Francisco Bay, by the Marine Worlds, by the ocean, Big Sur, and the list goes on and on. What I am bringing all this up to is that I am very, very worried that the national direction of local control and State control of environmental effects could change with the new administration. We look at what is happening in this Congress, take air, for example. Vice President Gore went to Tokyo to participate in the debate on global warming. There was no debate that there was global warming. There was debate on what to do about it. There were protocols laid out which request the industrialized nations to take the lead because, one, they have more information; two, they have more technology; and, three, they have the ability to think outside the box and lead countries that are less developed. We developed those protocols and each country is supposed to go back and check about it. Well, the Republican-controlled Congress here has put riders in saying, and this is really something and I think it is shocking, it is essentially a gag order that says nobody, nobody in the Federal Government, can go out and discuss anything about the Kyoto Accords until the treaty is ratified in the United States Senate. They cannot even have discussions. They cannot even share ideas. They cannot go anywhere else in the globe. If one sees the documentaries that are coming out, this is a concern that countries all over the world are raising, and they are asking for the United States to help in trying to understand what they can do about it; and we are gagged, we are bound, we are ordered that we cannot do that. We cannot even talk about it. You wonder, as you see the governor of Texas running for President of the United States, and leadership is about results, and the question is, what are the results that you have accomplished while you have been in elective roles. Here is the governor of the State of Texas that comes out with the worst air in the cities of Texas, in Houston in particular, and the problem with Houston is because they have no zoning, they have no general plan, they have no requirement. It has become the biggest urban sprawl city in America, more sprawled out than Los Angeles. When you get into urban sprawl, you get into an area that the gentleman knows so much about, one cannot build effective transportation systems.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a man who has been described as ``The newsman other newsmen listened to''. Jack F. Parr, a long-time resident of Monterey County in California, passed away on Monday August 7, 2000, at the age of 77. Born on August 15, 1922, Jack Parr was a veteran of World War II, where he received the Purple Heart for injuries received on D-Day. After serving his nation, he returned to the Central Coast and began working in radio. In all, he worked for three separate radio stations in Monterey County at different times-KMRL, KIDD and KNRY-ensuring that his distinctive voice and thorough reporting would be well-known and loved on the Monterey Peninsula and beyond. He could be found at any event where news was happening, and was a central figure for many people in the county. Print news and T.V. news reporters would listen to Jack's morning news report and use his leads as the agenda for news stories. Before the internet, he was the wireless wire for news. Asked how he did it, he would reply ``I get up at 4:00 A.M. and cover the nightly police reports-everything evolved from there.'' Jack Parr was ``a jolly soul who never seemed to see the depressing side of things,'' as Joe Fitzpatrick, a former local reporter, put it. His humor and voice will be sorely missed by his daughters, Jacquelyn Parr Pitcher of St. Charles, Illinois and Karen Parr of Burbank, California, as well as the radio audiences of the Central Coast.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege for me to welcome today the Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, in recognition of both his leadership in the pursuit of democracy as well as his commitment to strengthening relations between the United States and India. In his visit to the United States, Prime Minister Vajpayee demonstrates his people's interest in not only strengthening, but expanding the ties between our nations. The United States and India share common goals for the 21st Century: freedom and democracy. By working together towards these mutual goals, the U.S. and India can build strong foundations for peace and prosperity. With peace as a common interest, it is our responsibility to ensure international security and regional stability. Prime Minister Vajpayee represents a friendship that can further these goals through cooperative programs and shared visions. Together, the United States and India represent one-fifth of the world's population and more than one-fourth of the world's economy. Therefore, the growing bond between our nations is a positive step for everyone. In particular, California's 17th District has a significant Indian population which could greatly benefit from improved relations between India and the U.S. I commend Prime Minister Vajpayee for being the first Indian Prime Minister in six years to address a joint session of Congress and the only world leader to address the 106th Congress. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize Prime Minister Vajpayee.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise to congratulate California on its 150th anniversary. I would like to take this opportunity to mark the contributions of California's 17th district to California's rich history. As the site of the Constitutional Convention in 1849, the city of Monterey played a pivotal role in California's admittance to the Union as our 31st state. But, the Monterey region also has a rich history that extends back several millennia before people from around the globe landed on its shores in the 16th century. Native Americans enjoyed an abundance of natural resources as early as 500 BC. Monterey was later discovered by Spain on November 17, 1542 when Juan Cabrillo spotted La Bahia de los Pinos (Bay of Pines). It wasn't until 60 years later, in 1602, that Sebastian Viscaino officially named the region ``Monterey'' to honor the Viceroy of New Spain who had authorized his expedition. The Peninsula was first settled in 1770 when Gaspar de Portola and Father Junipero Serra arrived by land and sea to establish the City of Monterey itself. Monterey began its renown as the fiscal, military, and social center of Mexican California when Spain chose the city as the capital of Baja and Alta California in 1776. In the decades that followed, the settlers began to leave the Presidio and expand throughout Monterey. After Mexico's secession from Spain in 1822, Monterey flourished as Mexico opened up the region to international trade never allowed under Spanish rule and designated Monterey as California's sole port of entry. This booming trade also attracted American settlers to the Peninsula, many of whom eventually became Mexican citizens. However, on July 2, 1846, Commodore John D. Sloat arrived in Monterey Bay, raised the American flag and claimed California for the United States. The Commodore waited five days before, on July 7, 1846, he finally sent 250 soldiers to land and take possession of the city. Monterey was captured without a single shot being fired. The American occupation lasted until the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, thus making all of Alta California part of the United States. As the most prominent city in the region, Monterey was the obvious selection as the site for California's Constitutional Convention in 1849. For six weeks 48 delegates of diverse backgrounds met in Colton Hall in downtown Monterey to debate and vote on the final text. The constitution was signed on October 13, 1849, and president Millard Filmore officially welcomed California as our 31st state in 1850. As the birthplace of American California, the city of Monterey is proud of its contributions to California's statehood. Further, I am proud to congratulate California on its sesquicentennial anniversary.

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the California delegation, I submit the following statements relating to California's 150th anniversary of Statehood.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be a cosponsor of H.R. 2090, The Exploration of the Seas Act. This bill requires the Commerce Department to contract with the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to establish an advisory panel to study the feasibility and social value of creating a coordinated international oceanographic exploration and study program. For too long crucial policy decisions regarding the development and use of our oceans and coastal regions have been made with too little information. Two years ago, at my initiation, President Clinton convened the first ever National Ocean Conference in Monterey, California. The purpose of the White House conference was to bring national attention on the need to protect and preserve our oceans--which cover 71 percent of the Earth's surface and are key to the life support system for all creatures on our planet. Following the National Ocean Conference, I introduced the Oceans Act with several of my colleagues. This bipartisan bill, which was signed into law by the President on August 8, 2000, will create a national Oceans Commission to bring together ocean and coastal experts, policy makers, environmental groups, and industry representatives to take a comprehensive look at our nation's ocean and coastal policies. In constant dollars, Federal expenditures for ocean activities are about one-third of what they were thirty years ago, when Congress convened a similar commission that led to the creation of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This summer I co-chaired the Oceans Policy Conference, to move beyond crisis management to a policy that balances conservation and development, with the guiding principles of sustainability. It is vital that the United States take the leadership in ensuring that the oceans are protected so that the ocean benefits we enjoy today will be available for future generations. Sound science and careful exploration will lay the groundwork for sustainable use of existing ocean resources and future untapped reserves. The bill before us today, the Exploration of the Seas Act, builds on the foundation laid by my previous initiatives and those of other Members to raise global awareness of the importance of our oceans. For example, gas hydrates found in seabed floor deposits may be the energy source of the future to replace traditional fossil fuels. Half of the pharmaceuticals under development to treat cancer are derived from marine species. These two examples alone adequately illustrate that now is the time to explore the poorly understood resources of the oceans, so we may be prepared to wisely manage them in the future. We know more about the surface of the moon than the bottom of the oceans. H.R. 2090 remedies this situation by making an important step towards discovering the unknown treasures hidden below the surface of the ocean. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, It is with great excitement that I rise today to honor four outstanding athletes from California's 17th District, Alvin and Calvin Harrison, Ramiro Corrales, and Ellen Wilson. These young Americans will be representing the United States of America in the Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia this September, and I am proud to congratulate them on their achievements. Seated twelfth and fifteenth when the trials began, twins Alvin and Calvin Harrison beat the odds on Sunday, July 16, 2000, in Sacramento, and came in second and fifth place in the 400 meters, becoming the first twins to reach the Olympics in the same event. Further, it is likely that they will become the first set of twins to run together in the 1600 meter relay. I am pleased that the Harrisons achieved this historic victory on their own, opting not to train with a track club in favor of training together in Salinas, California. Likewise, another Salinas native, Ramiro Corrales will be representing the United States as a defensive specialist on the United States' Olympic soccer team. Corrales is already extremely accomplished in major league soccer, having played for the San Jose Earthquakes, the Miami Fusion, and the New York Metro Stars. He is also well known in his league for his defensive prowess and talent. And finally, Ellen Wilson, a three-time medalist at the Pan American Judo Championships and Salinas resident, will compete in Sydney as a member of the United States judo team. Wilson is ranked number one in judo in the United States and was a member of the World Team in judo in 1997 and 1999. She has won 1,500 judo matches in her career, and we anticipate that she will come out victorious in Sydney. California's 17th District is proud to have these four young athletes representing the United States in this summer's Olympic Games. Salinas is delighted to be one of the only cities of its size to send so many wonderful athletes to the Games. It is truly a tribute to the community and to the families, coaches, and friends, that have supported these athletes to see them competing in such a renowned arena. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to wish these outstanding athletes good luck this September, and I am honored to congratulate them on their outstanding achievements.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. I think we see ourselves in a situation that is good news-bad news. The good news is that we are talking about reform, and there is no dispute in this country that we need reform. Everybody is talking about it. The Democrats have had an alternative; the Republicans have a total repeal. The bad news is that there is no real interest in reform. It is just interest in sending a message. If my Republican colleagues were really interested in pure tax reform and helping the people they talk about, they would have gone down and worked out with the President something he would sign. And he said he would sign something as long as it was reasonable. But this is just total repeal. And my colleagues knew that he would veto that, and that is mean. I am one of those who voted with my Republican colleagues because I thought perhaps they would lead us into a meaningful discussion of how we could have reasonable inheritance tax reform. My colleagues have not done that. They have failed in that leadership. They have been more interested in a political message than in trying to solve this problem in the United States. Shame on them. And that is why some of us are going to start supporting the President in his veto, because the Republicans did not want reform, they just wanted a message.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a man who spent his life advocating for agriculture and farming, and for the future of many of the people in the Salinas Valley of California. Johnny Gill passed away last month at his Lockwood, California home at the age of 47. The cause of his death was amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Mr. Gill operated the John Gill Ranch in Monterey County, California, and was a pillar of agricultural life in that area. 25 years ago he started the King City Young Farmers organization and served actively as its first president to see its success. He was also active in many other local agricultural and community based organizations, including the 4-H, Little League, and the Sober Graduation program. Mr. Gill was also a Premier Sponsor and active member of the King City Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture. And, in a tribute befitting a figure such as Mr. Gill, last February, more than 900 people came together to honor him as King City's ``Citizen of the Year'' for 1999. This event, besides celebrating the accomplishments of Mr. Gill, also raised $375,000 to fight ALS and included a speech of tribute by actor Clint Eastwood, another Monterey County resident. John Gill was a man of much accomplishment, even tending to all of his farming duties up until the end of his life. He was a role model for so many of our nation's farmers and citizens in general, and he will be sorely missed by his wife Pam Gill; his parents Jack and Augusta Gill of Paso Robles; his sons Francis Gill of King City, Jared Gill of Hollister and Bret Davis of Salinas; and his sisters Melinda Stewart of Paso Robles and Jeannine Mansfield of Burke, Washington.