Elton Gallegly

Mr. GALLEGLY

Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I would first like to thank Croatian President Ivo Josipovic for traveling to the United States and taking part in the Congressional Croatian Caucus kick-off event. Although President Josipovic has been in office for little over a year, his record in promoting an environment of genuine regional dialogue, better mutual understanding, across-the-board cooperation, and a Euro-Atlantic perspective for the whole of South East Europe has been noteworthy. Since taking office he has pursued the path of regional reconciliation, a policy that has been matched with concrete action. For example, President Josipovic expressed regret for all the victims of the tragic events of the 1990s irrespective of their ethnic background, religious identity, or country of origin. He has also pursued open dialogue with all the key partners in the region of South East Europe, but in particular with Serbian and Bosnian and Herzegovinian high officials. His efforts at promoting the eventual membership of all the countries in the region into the EU and NATO, have been widely recognized. President Josipovic's effort in realizing ``Europe, whole, free and at peace'' is acknowledged and has been highly commended by the Administration and prominent members of Congress, as it complements U.S. efforts in that part of the world. Croatia's two-year-long record of NATO membership already bears his mark. President Josipovic showed strong leadership and responsibility at the December 2010 NATO summit in Lisbon, in regard to Croatian contributions to NATO led peace-keeping missions. Moreover, he has offered his strong support to Allied efforts in Afghanistan, where Croatian troops and experts assist in transitioning this country to stability and security, using its own capabilities, which was clearly expressed on his recent visit to Kabul. Again, on behalf of the Congressional Croatian Caucus, I would like to welcome President Josipovic to the United States and for his role in building a closer friendship between our two nations.

Mr. GALLEGLY

Mr. GALLEGLY. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1308, legislation to extend the termination date for the Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission. The work of the Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission is not quite finished. That's why this legislation is needed to extend the commission through December 30 of this year, allowing the Commission to deliver additional events for the public. Extending the Commission through the end of 2011 will allow it to accomplish several key goals--some including the support of official international events occurring the week of June 27 in Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and the United Kingdom, possibly convening a joint session of Congress this fall, coordinating a potential White House event, organizing a Capitol Visitor Center exhibit, serving as a resource for Federal Government centennial activities, and supporting State Reagan centennial commissions. Extending this Commission will require, as my colleagues have said, no Federal funding. All funds needed are privately raised. In conclusion, many other centennial commissions have operated for longer periods with significant Federal funding. Extending the Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission will provide more opportunities to commemorate recognition of President Reagan. I want to thank Chairman Issa and Ranking Member Cummings, along with their staffs, for their assistance in helping bring this bill to the floor today. I also want to express my appreciation to Speaker Boehner, Majority Leader Cantor, and Minority Leader Pelosi for all their help in bringing the bill forward today. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. GALLEGLY

Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in memory of Carolyn Leavens, who passed away this week after a lifetime dedicated to her family and friends, the agricultural industry, and her community. I have known Carolyn, her husband Paul and their family for more than 30 years. Carolyn was a strong and professional woman whose promotion of agriculture on a local, national and international level, and whose love and service to family and community, were seemingly inexhaustible. Carolyn and Paul were married for 60 years, and for 25 years she played a key role in office and budget management for Leavens Ranches as it grew from 100 acres of beans to 1,100 acres of citrus and avocado orchards. The operation, founded by Paul's grandparents and now managed by the fourth generation of family members, ranks as one of Ventura County's leading citrus and avocado producers and has also expanded into lemon, avocado and wine-grape production in Monterey County. Carolyn's involvement in one of the county's pioneer family farming operations led her to play a leadership role in the agricultural community, at first locally and later on a statewide and international level. Her accomplishments are too extensive to list here in their entirety, but they include being the founding president of the Ventura County chapter of California Women for Agriculture and CWA's state president in 1981; a member of the California State Board of Food and Agriculture from 1978 to 1982; a member of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Women's Leadership Network from 1983 to 1999, participating in its European Economic Community Tour as an ambassador of the American agricultural industry; and serving as a board member of Volunteers in Overseas Cooperative Assistance and a delegate to the first International Women in Agriculture Convention. Although she played a prominent role in agricultural affairs, she was perhaps best known at home for her wide-ranging involvement in civic, cultural and political activities. Again, Carolyn's civic accomplishments--and the awards bestowed on her to recognize those accomplishments--are too long to list here. But it was her tireless involvement in the decades-long campaign that culminated in establishment of California State University, Channel Islands, that may be her most lasting local legacy. Not only was she integral in establishing the university, her tireless fund-raising and marketing efforts ensured its success. In the words of my friend and former U.S. Representative Robert Lagomarsino when he presented the inaugural CSUCI Lagomarsino Award to Carolyn: ``It is hard to think of this campus without thinking of Carolyn Leavens. . . . Today, this University is her hallmark.'' In addition to Paul, Carolyn leaves behind her son and daughter-in- law, J. Link and Sally Leavens; and daughters and sons-in-law, Tina and David Cullenberg, Leslie and Harry Crowe, and Heather and Curt August; eight grandchildren; five great-grandchildren and many other loving family members. Mr. Speaker, Carolyn left an everlasting mark on our community and will be greatly missed. I know my colleagues join me in sending condolences to Paul, the Leavens family, and their many friends, and in remembering Carolyn for her many contributions and for being a role model for all.

Mr. GALLEGLY

Mr. GALLEGLY. Madam Chair, on rollcall No. 89, I was inadvertently detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.'' Amendment No. 50 Offered by Ms. McCollum

Mr. GALLEGLY

Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of my Special Order.

Mr. GALLEGLY. I would now yield to the gentleman from Louisiana, Steve Scalise.

Mr. GALLEGLY. Thank you, Steve. Mr. Speaker, there are so many things that I would like to express, but I thought it was really important that we had this Nation represented from sea to shining sea. And I think we did that this afternoon with all of our speakers from States from California to New York and everywhere in between. In closing, and it just seemed appropriate this morning as I was pulling into the Rayburn garage, I came in a little early this morning, and there was a car that had to stop for something for a minute--and I don't normally read bumper stickers, but that bumper sticker said it all: I miss Ronald Reagan.

Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, as the author of the legislation creating the Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission, I was asked by the Reagan Foundation to host a Special Order this afternoon, and I am honored to have many of my colleagues here to join us on this floor today. As a fellow Californian, I had the great privilege of spending some time with President Reagan in my early years here in Congress, and I can tell you that those times will be etched in my mind forever. Coincidentally, my own personal residence happens to be almost adjacent to the Ronald Reagan Library--in fact, only a few hundred yards away-- in Simi Valley, California. I simply can't say enough about how grateful I am for the opportunity to have known Ronald Reagan. I could go on for hours, but we have other Members to whom I want to yield this afternoon, Members from all across the country. So I will stand back and yield to my colleagues, and then have enough time so maybe I can wrap it up. At this point, I yield to my good friend Steve Stivers from the State of Ohio.

Mr. GALLEGLY. Thank you very much, Steve. At this point I'd like to yield to the gentleman from California on the other side of the aisle, my good friend, John Garamendi.

Mr. GALLEGLY. I thank John very much. I'd just like to say, in listening to the gentleman from California, when we were working on this bill, it got a little complicated at the end, but you know what the simplest part of making this bill work was? I did not have one individual on either side of the aisle say, no, Elton, I can't be a cosponsor. I don't think there's anytime in history that I've had as many people agree on--we can't get that many people to agree on what day of the week it is around here.

Mr. GALLEGLY. And it was very special to me to hear the comments from the folks on the other side of the aisle. While they may have disagreed with him on certain policy, I don't know that anyone disagreed on the man's integrity and his compassion for this country and how committed he was to make it a better place, and with that, he was able to get a lot of things done on the other side of the aisle that he wouldn't otherwise have been able to do. Thank you very much, John. At this time, I'd like to yield to my friend, the gentlelady from Kansas, Lynn Jenkins.

Mr. GALLEGLY. I thank the gentleman. Mr. Speaker, would you be kind enough to advise me how much time is remaining?

Mr. GALLEGLY. Thank you very much, Lynn. I now yield to the gentleman from South Carolina, Jeff Duncan.

Mr. GALLEGLY. Thank you very much, Jeff, and I really enjoyed you coming out to California and getting an opportunity to really enjoy the Reagan library. It's truly a place that every American should have an opportunity to visit one time or another. It's pretty inspiring. Thank you, Jeff. At this point I'd like to recognize the gentleman from New York, Michael Grimm.

Mr. GALLEGLY. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this time, it is my distinct honor and pleasure to introduce another Californian, the gentlelady, the leader of the minority, Nancy Pelosi.

Mr. GALLEGLY. Thank you very much, Michael. We know Michael is from the great State of New York, so we have got both coasts covered today, from sea to shining sea. At this point, I have another great Californian and a new Member. It's my honor and pleasure to recognize my good friend from California, Jeff Denham.

Mr. GALLEGLY. Thank you very much, Jeff. At this point, I yield to Rick Crawford from the great State of Arkansas.

Mr. GALLEGLY. Now, from Ronald Reagan's home State, the great State of Illinois, Randy Hultgren.

Mr. GALLEGLY. Thank you very much, Randy. Mr. Speaker, how much time do we have remaining?

Mr. GALLEGLY. At this point, I yield to the gentleman from Maryland, Andy Harris, a freshman Member and good friend.

Mr. GALLEGLY. At this time, Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield to my very good friend from the State of Texas, Tyler, Texas, as a matter of fact, Judge Louie Gohmert.

Mr. GALLEGLY. Thank you very much, Louie. And now I would like to yield to the gentleman from California, my good friend, Ken Calvert, who played an instrumental role in helping to bring Air Force One to Simi Valley.

Mr. GALLEGLY. Thank you, Ken. I'd now like to yield time to my next-door neighbor in the Rayburn Building and a friend of mine, I think the only senior Member to me here today, the gentleman from Indianapolis, Indiana, Dan Burton, who personally knew Ronald Reagan very well.

Mr. GALLEGLY. Thank you, Danny. I now yield to a Member from Ronald Reagan's home State, Bob Dold from Illinois.

Mr. GALLEGLY. Next, we have my good friend from the State of Virginia, and seat partner for the last 20 years on Judiciary, Bob Goodlatte.