Jared Huffman

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, President Trump has made some implausible statements recently, but one that certainly takes the cake on the issue of health care is when he said that nobody knew that health care could be so complicated. Well, for President Trump and those who are attacking the Affordable Care Act, I would like to talk about one little boy who challenges this claim. This week, of course, we know from the nonpartisan CBO just how devastating the Trump-Ryan repeal would be for millions of Americans, including Rhett Krawitt, a 9-year-old boy who lives in my district. Rhett battled and won a tough fight with leukemia. He spoke to a townhall in my district on Monday, where he said: ``Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, my parents don't have to worry about losing coverage because I have a preexisting condition. My family knows exactly how much money our health care will cost. I can stay on my parents' plan and get medical insurance when I go to college and medical school.'' And he added one more thing. He said: ``I may only be 9 years old, but I have known for a long time that health care is complicated.'' Mr. Trump, if only you had spoken to this 9-year-old before trying to gut health care for millions of Americans. Let's not go backward on health care in this country.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize The Rotary Foundation's 100th anniversary as the Rotary International District 5150 celebrates the occasion on March 18, 2017. Founded in 1917 by Rotary International's sixth president, Arch C. Klump, with an initial contribution of $26.50 as an endowment fund for the Rotary to support and grow community services throughout the world, The Rotary Foundation has grown to $4 billion in contributions from all over the world and now provides humanitarian services, encourages high ethical standards, and builds goodwill throughout the world. One of the world's largest nongovernmental organizations with 1.2 million members and activities in more than 200 countries, The Rotary Foundation has provided more than $3.8 billon focusing on six specific sustainable programs: promoting peace, fighting disease, providing clean water, improving health care for mothers and children, supporting education, and growing local economies. Among its many contributions felt around the globe is its partnership with the Gates Foundation, the World Health Organization, and other governments to eradicate 99.9 percent of Polio worldwide. Locally, The Rotary International District 5150 currently oversees 42 Rotary Clubs, serving Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo. The three county clubs consist of nearly 2,000 members who volunteer their time raising money and doing good in their communities and around the world. On Saturday, March 18, 2017, District 5150 will hold its annual Learning and Development Assembly at Redwood High School in Marin County to provide training opportunities for hundreds of Rotarians, Rotaractors, Interactors and guests in the District. Mr. Speaker, The Rotary Foundation's commitment to providing important services that enrich our community and beyond is exceptional. It is therefore fitting to honor and thank The Rotary Foundation for a century of success in adhering to its motto of ``doing good in the world'' and The Rotary International District 5150 for its important service, and to offer both best wishes on 100 more years of good work.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 132, as the gentleman from Florida just mentioned, would allow a title transfer of two Federal buildings to the Arbuckle Master Conservancy District in south-central Oklahoma. These are buildings that were part of the Arbuckle Project, which is a water project authorized by Congress back in 1962 to provide flood control, recreational opportunities, and municipal water supply. Nearly all the facilities within this project were already transferred to the Arbuckle Master Conservancy District in 2012, after the district finish repaying what it owed to the Federal Government for construction. However, due to some overly narrow language in the legislation authorizing this project, two buildings have yet to be transferred. Transferring them will save taxpayers money that would otherwise be needed to operate and maintain these buildings. It will also relieve the Federal Government of any potential future liability associated with these buildings. It is a straightforward bill that should be quickly passed. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Raskin). Parliamentary Inquiry

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Sara O'Donnell, founder and Executive Director of the Cancer Resource Center of Mendocino County, who is retiring after 21 years of service. Sara O'Donnell grew up in rural central California, where she worked in the agricultural fields as a teenager and suffered the effects of exposure to pesticides. In 1990, after surviving a personal battle with breast cancer, Ms. O'Donnell set about establishing a resource to help individuals diagnosed with cancer. Five years later, in 1995, she and the founding board of directors opened the Cancer Resource Center of Mendocino County. Over the following twenty years, the Cancer Resource Center has grown to serve more than 360 people annually. And, under Ms. O'Donnell's leadership, the Center has received grants and funding from the California Endowment, Avon Foundation, and hundreds of local community members. Ms. O'Donnell's work has not only positively impacted the lives of countless individuals across Mendocino County, but she has shared her research and publications to provide assistance to underserved rural patients across the nation. Her volunteer service extends beyond the Cancer Resource Center. She is an advisory board member for Mendocino County Public Health and Mendocino County Health Insurance for All; she is on the board of directors for the Mendocino Coast Clinics; and she is an associate member of the Alliance for Rural Community Health. Sara O'Donnell's legacy is one of dedicated service to rural health care and cancer prevention, and it is appropriate to express to her our deep appreciation for her long and exceptional career and her outstanding volunteer service, and to wish her well on her retirement.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call for a nonpartisan, independent commission to immediately and thoroughly examine the influence in the 2016 election and at the Trump White House of the Russian Government. This House should have begun this critical oversight work immediately and served as a check on the White House to protect the American people, but it has failed to do so. The resignation of General Michael Flynn has raised far more questions than it answered, and it is not acceptable to simply sit on our hands or to say that somehow the only problem is the leaks that exposed this misconduct and not the misconduct itself. That won't cut it. The American people deserve to know the full picture of Russia's involvement in the election, of General Flynn's communication with Russian officials, and why President Trump took no action for weeks after learning of General Flynn's misconduct. Unfortunately, this administration's idea of transparency is conducting sensitive national security discussions in the middle of a crowded Mar-a-Lago dining room in full view of his wealthy patrons. The American people deserve better. They deserve an independent, nonpartisan commission, and it is time for this House to do its job.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Jonathan (Jon) Elam on the occasion of his retirement as General Manager of Tamalpais Community Services District (TCSD) after twelve years of stellar service. Starting in 2005, after a professional career in public works and city management, Mr. Elam was hired as General Manager of TCSD, where he served the residents of Tamalpais Valley and Marin County at large with distinction for a dozen years. Under his leadership as General Manager, he reinvigorated the refuse collection program and created numerous new programs, including food waste collection and popular collection programs such as e-waste, batteries, printer ink cartridges, eyeglasses and medical disposal, as well as two paper shredding days per year for the TCSD service area. From upgrading park and recreation facilities, to installing new fire safe efforts, to working to ensure our agencies are compliant with EPA regulations, Mr. Elam established a productive track record for getting things done. Mr. Elam's commitment to environmental stewardship has been a common thread throughout his work and volunteer service. Not only did Mr. Elam serve as the Delegate for the California Climate Registry to the United Nations climate meetings, but he also has participated in a variety of local organizations, including the Carbon Cycle Institute, the San Anselmo Bike & Pedestrian Advisory Committee, and the Marin County Solid Waste JPA Advisory Council. He also served in a number of volunteer roles in the community including his recent role as the president of the Marin Conservation League. Mr. Elam's professional and civic contributions leave a lasting and positive legacy that will continue to benefit the local residents and regions for years to come. He is a true environmentalist, and I'm sure he will continue to fight the good fight in retirement. Please join me in congratulating Mr. Elam on his retirement and expressing our deep appreciation for his long and exceptional career and outstanding civic engagement.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Cowgirl Creamery and its founders, Sue Conley and Peggy Smith, in honor of the 20th anniversary of this artisan cheese company, which has over the past two decades been a leader in the evolution of the local, state, and national artisan cheese market. Opened in 1997, the idea of Cowgirl Creamery began years earlier when Sue and Peggy, each with twenty years of culinary experience, settled in Point Reyes Station in West Marin, California. Inspired by local agricultural matriarch Ellen Straus and her son, Albert Straus, who established organic milk producers west of the Mississippi, Sue and Peggy decided to combine their culinary expertise and environmental stewardship ethos to create an artisan cheesemaking business. Several years after purchasing a barn in downtown Point Reyes Station, and after renovating, restoring, and acquiring the permits to open Tomales Bay Foods as a distribution company, Cowgirl Creamery was opened. Over the next twenty years, Cowgirl Creamery became an organic- certified creamery known for its award-winning cheeses, and its founders became leaders in sustainable food and artisan cheese movement in the North Bay. With over ten different types of cheeses produced from milk from neighboring dairies and two creameries with a staff of nearly 100, the company is still growing its business and influence in the region. At the time of its opening, there were few cheese companies in Marin and Sonoma. Today, the West Marin region is considered a dairy and cheese appellation, and the region's artisan cheese industry has bloomed thanks in large part to the success of Cowgirl Creamery. There are 28 cheesemakers in the region and more in the making, and the Marin-Sonoma Cheese Trail boasts a large following. Not only did the founders of Cowgirl Creamery serve as advocates and mentors for local agriculture and cheese producers, they engaged with non-profit organizations supporting sustainable agriculture and with government officials to advance the interests and growth in the environmentally-responsible food movement. Sue served on the board of Marin Agricultural Land Trust for 18 years and is on the board of the California Artisan Cheese Guild. Peggy serves as President of the American Cheese Society, a national platform that provides educational resources for other cheesemakers, retailers, distributors and cheese enthusiasts. Inducted into the Guilde des Fromagers in 2010, Cowgirl Creamery has earned the respect of international cheese experts in addition to their robust reputations in the regional and national artisan cheese marketplace. From producers to consumers, Cowgirl Creamery occupies an unparalleled space in its influence on artisan cheesemaking worldwide. Mr. Speaker, on the occasion of their 20th Anniversary it is fitting to honor and thank Peggy, Sue, and Cowgirl Creamery for their impressive success and generosity, and to wish them success in the decades to come.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this attempt to politically override the Interior Department's stream protection rule. Much like the destructive mountaintop removal practice that this rule is designed to prevent, this Republican assault on the environment and the health of coal mining communities is a crude and dirty process. Using the Congressional Review Act, a single hour in Congress is going to be enough to remove a rule that reflects 7 years of national public debate, including at least 30 stakeholder meetings, over 100,000 public comments. This blows up the regular legislative and regulatory process, ignores science, marginalizes public health, and puts communities at risk. Let me be clear: when the coal dust settles on this devastating resolution, it certainly won't be Members of Congress who are left drinking polluted drinking water or battling lung cancer, heart disease, and birth defects. Much like the coal executives who profit from exhausting and polluting the natural resources of these communities, the GOP will move on to the next target and look for the next way to let business off the hook, to let them externalize their costs to the environment, to local communities, and, ultimately, to the U.S. taxpayers who have to clean up the mess. But communities in the Appalachian Mountains, vital salmon streams in Alaska, and much-needed water supplies across this country will be left dealing with the aftermath, while our Republican colleagues boast about having provided so-called regulatory relief. For all the talk about coal jobs from Republicans and our new President, you would think they would care just a little about protecting the health of these coal miners and their families and their communities. And yet, when given a chance to protect the water quality of 6,000 miles of streams in coal country, this House is choosing to side with the polluting industry instead. That is shameful, and we should oppose this wrong-headed resolution.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 724, which would rescind President Trump's unconstitutional Muslim ban that led to a Stanford University graduate student who has lived in the United States since 1993 getting handcuffed and then detained at JFK airport for 5 hours.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, January 24, 2017, I was absent for Roll Call vote 63. Had I been present for Roll Call vote 63, H. Res. 55--Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 7) to prohibit taxpayer funded abortions, I would have voted ``no''.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the Honorable Judge David Nelson as he retires from Mendocino County Superior Court. David Nelson was born in Rochester, Minnesota. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Stanford University in 1968 and received his Juris Doctorate in 1971 from Yale Law School. He began practicing law as the Deputy Public Defender for Contra Costa County for three years before eventually starting his private practice. In 2003 he was appointed to a judgeship with Mendocino County Superior Court by Governor Gray Davis and was re-elected for two terms in 2004 and 2010. Over his thirteen years of service, Judge Nelson presided over criminal, felony criminal, and juvenile courts. Most notably, he has been an avid supporter for the Adult Drug Court serving as its judge throughout his career. This program, which provides treatment and rehabilitation for drug offenders, has helped many individuals across Mendocino County. In addition to his official duties, Judge Nelson has served as President of the Mendocino County Bar Association, President of the Mendocino County Criminal Defense Bar Association, and Board Member of the Law Library. He and his wife Judith are known for their active involvement with many groups throughout the community. Judge Nelson's legacy is one of dedicated service to the County of Mendocino and worthy of distinction. Please join me in congratulating him on his retirement and expressing our deep appreciation for his long and exceptional career and outstanding contributions to our legal system.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on January 12, 2017, I erroneously voted ``yes'' on roll call vote 52, an amendment to H.R. 238 offered by Mr. Conaway of Texas. I intended to vote ``no'' on the amendment.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I erroneously voted ``yes'' on roll call vote 36, an amendment to H.R. 5 offered by Mr. Peterson of Minnesota. I intended to vote ``no'' on the amendment.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in memory of Gary Giacomini, who passed away on December 2, 2016, after a lifetime of service to his community. Born in San Francisco in 1939, Mr. Giacomini spent most of his life as a resident of Marin County. He attended St. Mary's College in Moraga, and earned his law degree at San Francisco Hasting College of Law in 1965 as an honor student. A stalwart, civic-minded community member, Mr. Giacomini occupied many roles over the course of his highly productive professional and political career. Renowned for his bedrock strength, and sometimes cantankerous demeanor, he was always straight- forward and clear about his principles and convictions. Political from a young age, Mr. Giacomini was student body president of Marin Catholic High School. He won a seat on the Lagunitas School Board in 1968, and was elected to represent Marin's 4th District on the Board of Supervisors in 1972, where he served until 1996. Upon his retirement from the Board of Supervisors, he was the longest-serving county supervisor in the history of California. In addition, he was a member of 25 other state and regional boards and commissions, including 10 years on the California Coastal Commission and 20 years on the Golden Gate Bridge District. In 2007, Marin Magazine named him one of the 13 most influential people in county history. Chief among his many exceptional accomplishments for Marin's residents and environment, Mr. Giacomini led the movement to preserve West Marin open space, protect the environment, and preserve the county's historic ranchlands. In appreciation for his enduring resolve and track record protecting these lands, in 2001 a 1,500-acre open space preserve in the San Geronimo area was named for Giacomini. He was dubbed as one of the heroic group of Rebels with a Cause for his work to save a vast stretch of Marin's coastline for parks and farms. He also instigated, with his colleagues, public ownership of the Southern Pacific Railroad right-of-way from Marin to Eureka in the 1980s, paving the way to Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit's future use of the tracks, where service is expected to begin this year. In 1985, Mr. Giacomini coordinated a strenuous battle to ensure the Buck Trust, bequeathed to Marin for its needs and programs by Ross philanthropist Beryl Buck, was not dispersed outside Marin. This culminated in the formation of the Marin Community Foundation in 1986. After leaving public service in 1996, Mr. Giacomini went on to serve two terms on the board of the Marin Community Foundation, including time as Chairman of the Board. Over the years, Mr. Giacomini developed a well-earned reputation, as noted by the Marin Independent Journal, for his ability to promote common ground between the interests of Marin's diverse agricultural community and preservationists. He is survived by his wife, Linda; two sons, Andrew and Antony; a sister, Roberta Powers; and five grandchildren. He has left an indelible mark not just on his family and the community of Marin, but on children and families far and wide. A formidable force whose presence will be greatly missed, it is my honor, Mr. Speaker, to recognize the breadth and depth of Mr. Giacomini's legacy of commitment and his many victories for the people and places of Marin. It is therefore appropriate that we pay tribute to him today and honor his memory.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Pamela Patterson, as she retires from her career as the Chief Executive Officer of West Company and the Director of the Mendocino Small Business Development Center. Born and raised in Virginia, Pamela Dunlap Patterson later obtained an Associate Degree at Massey Junior College in Atlanta and began a career in the retail industry. Pamela headed west to California in 1979 to become the Retail Merchandising Teacher for the Fort Bragg High School Regional Occupation Program. She then went on to serve as the literacy coordinator for the Mendocino County Library in Fort Bragg, and eventually, the coordinator for the ``Read Right'' program through Georgia Pacific where she helped improve literacy for workers in the timber industry. In 1998, Pamela Patterson began her long career with West Company, a pilot Women's Business Center funded by the Small Business Administration. In 2004, she took the helm of the organization which at the time was struggling financially. Under Pamela's leadership, West Company stabilized funding sources, and secured a contract as the Small Business Development Center in 2007. Over her term as the Chief Executive Officer she has secured millions of dollars in funding to help micro-entrepreneurs and small businesses to start and grow as means of improving the local economy. Pamela Patterson's legacy is one of dedicated service to entrepreneurship and an educated workforce. Please join me in congratulating Pamela on her retirement and expressing our deep appreciation for her long and exceptional career, and her outstanding contributions to Mendocino County's workforce and economy.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Sun Valley Elementary School which was selected as a 2016 National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education in recognition for its Exemplary High Performance as one of the top schools in the nation as measured by state and national assessments. This highly competitive award reflects outstanding academic achievement and the highest caliber of professional service, and family and community engagement. With over 500 students from a variety of socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds, Sun Valley Elementary School offers comprehensive educational programs that academically challenge and instill a joy of learning in its students and ensures every child has the skills and knowledge to reach their full potential. Mr. Speaker, this hard-earned distinction reflects a true community success. From the ``Super Star'' students and their families, to the staff and administrators and the extended community, Sun Valley Elementary School has developed an education model for the state and nation, empowering students of today to be the problem-solvers, inventors, and pioneers of tomorrow. Please join me in congratulating Sun Valley Elementary School on this impressive achievement.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Steven (Steve) Kinsey as he retires from the Marin County Board of Supervisors after serving the people residing in the Fourth District, and Marin County, with exceptional distinction for nearly 20 years. Throughout his tenure, Supervisor Kinsey has been steadfast and passionate in his pursuit of social equity, protection of the agricultural landscape and historic ranching community in West Marin, and improved transportation infrastructure and services, among many other noble causes. Most importantly, he has been productive through the decades, accomplishing many victories for the people and places of Marin. Born in Wilmington, Delaware in 1952, Supervisor Kinsey earned his B.A. in Architecture from Arizona State University. He moved to Forest Knolls in 1978 where he raised a family, owned and operated his own design/build business for 18 years, and volunteered in the community. As a member of the Marin Conservation League Board of Directors, he was recognized for promoting water conservation strategies and advocating for a Bayland Corridor to increase protections for bayside wetlands. A stalwart public school advocate, he secured for the Lagunitas School District funds for facilities improvements and school-based health and support services for its students and families. Elected to the Board of Supervisors in 1996, Supervisor Kinsey took office on January 7, 1997, and served for five terms, representing all of the coastal areas of Marin County as well as several bay side communities. As an elected official, including five times as Board President, he focused on watershed and fishery restoration, sustainable agriculture, the integration of transportation and land use planning, and sound fiscal management. He championed the needs of children and families, and has worked closely with communities of color to reduce the barriers to equal opportunity. He served on the boards of numerous organizations including the Board of the Marin Agricultural Land Trust, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, Marin Transit, and the Transportation Authority of Marin, which he chaired from 1998 to 2011. He joined the California Coastal Commission in 2011, was its chairman three times, and served on the board of the California State Coastal Conservancy. Under his leadership, Marin has become a national leader in biking and walking, including Safe Routes to School, and established the Bay Area Ridge Trail. During thirteen years as Chair of Marin's Transportation Authority and Congestion Management Agency, Supervisor Kinsey led Marin's efforts to improve mobility along the 101 corridor and throughout his district. Drawing on his consensus-building skills, he secured community support and funding for voter-highway improvements in the Twin Cities area, and extending the Sonoma Marin Area Rapid Transit (SMART) train to the ferry. It has been my honor and pleasure to join with Supervisor Kinsey to solve significant and complex community issues. From defeating the proposed expansion of Death Row at San Quentin State Prison in 2011, to procuring affordable housing in surplused U.S. Coast Guard facilities in West Marin, to crafting a long-term solution to traffic congestion in Muir Woods and Muir Beach, to fighting to protect continued historic ranching families in Point Reyes National Seashore, and to ensuring the upcoming SMART system reaches its intended breadth of service up and down the line, Supervisor Steve Kinsey has been a tireless strategic and practical thinker, and an effective civic representative. Steve Kinsey's legacy is one of dedicated service to the environment and health and well-being of Marin County. Please join me in congratulating him on his retirement, expressing deep appreciation for his long and exceptional career and outstanding contributions throughout the County, and wishing him well in his next adventure.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, there is a reason that every environmental group that is engaged on this and the Obama administration are opposing this language. It is not harmless. It is not perfectly fine with the ESA. It is a congressional override of the scientific, peer-reviewed biological opinions that does grave harm to the ESA and sets a terrible precedent. But there are other problems with the bill, as well. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva), my colleague and ranking member of the Natural Resources Committee.

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. McNerney).

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. WRDA has always been a bipartisan piece of legislation. I have always voted for WRDA. I voted for this WRDA earlier in this Congress before a 90-page poison pill, California water provision, was dropped in at the very last minute. Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, I must rise today in opposition to this WRDA in its current form. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on it and force a vote on a clean WRDA so that we can have the many projects, the many benefits, the aid to the people of Flint, Michigan, that they so richly deserve and have waited far too long to receive. We are here, Mr. Speaker, because, unfortunately, the House Republicans have a problem with regular order. It is something that they have talked a lot about. We have heard many promises about an open legislative process, and yet here they come again with the latest attempt to jam through dangerous California water provisions that were crafted behind closed doors, without public review or scrutiny, and they are being thrown on the House floor literally in the final hours of this Congress. Let's not forget that this same last-minute, closed-door maneuver, the same water grab, nearly torpedoed last year's must-pass spending bill. By insisting on this parochial poison pill, majority leadership is apparently willing to risk tanking the WRDA bill no matter the damage to the families of Flint who have been waiting far too long, no matter the harm to fishing communities across the West, no matter how many jobs that would be created by WRDA might have to wait until the McCarthy rider is dealt with. This power play feels a lot like deja vu. Today, yet again, we are debating a California water measure that hasn't gone through the committee of jurisdiction or received sign-off from the affected tribal interests, the fishing industry, or State and Federal water agencies. While this Congress was never given the opportunity to receive expert testimony on these provisions, we do know that the Obama administration just this week announced its strong opposition to the California water provisions that have been added to this bill. Senator Boxer, one of the primary authors of the WRDA bill before it was hijacked with this rider, has also called these provisions a last-minute poison pill, and she has vowed to do everything in her power to block this bill in the Senate. Mr. Speaker, we have heard significant opposition to this rider from other stakeholders who have warned this Congress that thousands of fishing industry jobs across the Pacific Coast will be threatened if this bill is enacted. But I do have to hand it to my colleagues across the aisle about one thing: they are relentless. This rider is simply the latest of many attempts to pick winners and losers during California's historic drought. If it is enacted, the winners in this effort will certainly be some of the most powerful, politically active corporate farmers in the world. Consider one group of water stakeholders, one group of contractors in one specific region. Now, this bill may call itself a drought solution, and we may talk about many different parts of it, but tucked into the details is a congressionally directed 100 percent water allocation for one group of water contractors. That is one heck of a drought solution if you have got the political juice to get it into a bill like this. Fishery protections, meanwhile, will be gutted in order to redistribute water supplies, primarily to large industrial farms in the Central Valley. Let's talk about the losers in this effort. It is going to be pretty much everyone else. The California water rider will weaken fisheries protections that support thousands of jobs in numerous industries, including commercial and recreational fishing, fish processing, restaurants, docks and harbors, boating, equipment supply, and tourism. Pretty much everyone across the Pacific Coast who depends on healthy fisheries for their livelihoods will be hurt if this poison pill is enacted. Thousands of fishermen and their families are already hanging on by a thread right now. Because of this drought, fishery managers have severely restricted the commercial fishing season off the West Coast because of high salmon mortality in California. Last year we had a 97 percent mortality rate for juvenile Sacramento River winter-run salmon. The year before that it was a 95 percent mortality. These are tough times for fishermen around the West. They are struggling to pay their mortgages. We have heard about boats being scrapped because the owners can't pay mooring fees; homes are being repossessed; restaurants, hotels, and other retail and service businesses are struggling just to scrape by. The human impact during this drought has been devastating on the many small-business owners and thousands of working people across California, Washington, and Oregon who depend on healthy fisheries. This is the worst time to weaken the thin line of protections for these fragile salmon fisheries. Yet instead of increasing protections, as all the evidence tells us we need to do, this bill takes us in the opposite direction. Now, the State of California has called for Federal drought legislation that does not favor one region or one sector of the State over another. This rider unquestionably fails that test. Mr. Speaker, this Congress can do real things to solve California's water problems without pitting parts of the State against each other. I hope one day my House Republican colleagues will give up on the idea of jamming through dangerous, divisive measures that pit fishermen against farmers, that override the interests of the tribal community and numerous others who are suffering through California's historic drought. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise with my colleague Congressman Mike Thompson today in recognition of Charlie Barra and his exceptional community service on the occasion of his 90th birthday on December 12, 2016. Born in Calpella, California in 1926 to Italian immigrants, both from generational wine growing families, Charlie Barra and his two brothers spent their young teen years working in their father Antonio's vineyard. In 1945, when Charlie was a junior in high school, he leased a ranch from one of his old Italian neighbors, beginning his long and successful independent career in viticulture. In 1955, Charlie purchased the 175-acre Redwood Valley Vineyards located at the headwaters of the Russian River. At the time, most growers were farming ``standard'' grapes that were used by the major wine producers to make basic table wines. Charlie worked with pioneers of the industry and began moving to a varietal-focused vineyard. He was one of the first growers on the North Coast to plant Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir. As a true steward of the land, Charlie converted all his vineyards to organic grapes in 1989. In 1997, after a downturn in the grape market, Charlie and his wife Martha began BARRA of Mendocino Winery, specializing in premium wines. He was honored by Slow Foods San Francisco as a pioneer for organic farming in the United States in 2011. To this day, Charlie Barra prides himself on never having missed a harvest. Throughout his life, Charlie Barra has been an active member of the community. He was a founding member of the California North Coast Grape Growers association and served on its board for 41 years. Charlie was appointed to the Mendocino County Planning commission in 1965 and again in 1975, and Governor Ronald Regan appointed him to the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors in 1968. Charlie Barra's legacy is one of stewardship of the land, economic development and community service to Mendocino County. Please join us in congratulating him on his 90th birthday and expressing our deep appreciation for his long and exceptional life and outstanding contributions to our local economy.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, one of the things I love about serving in Congress is I am always presented with new and interesting experiences. Each year brings more of these experiences, but I have already, in just 4 years, found that there is one experience I have quite enough of, and that is saying goodbye to incredible, irreplaceable colleagues who are just remarkable public servants. I wish them well. I am happy for them in retiring, but I am going to really miss them. Last year, we had the tough duty of saying goodbye to Henry Waxman and George Miller. This year, we have got another class of terrific people who are moving on. I am going to miss all of my California colleagues, including our southern California friends, Janice Hahn and Loretta Sanchez; but I want to focus the time I have on our northern California neighbors, starting with our great friend, Sam Farr. A lot will be said, now and long into the future, about Sam's incredible public service career. People will talk about his time in Colombia in the Peace Corps, the 6 years that he spent on the Monterey County Board of Supervisors, his 12 years in the State assembly, his nearly 23 years in Congress. Sam has been such a dedicated and passionate public servant. It is not just the duration and the breadth of those offices. It is really the quality and the character of Sam's service and, particularly, when it comes to the ocean. Sam was the founder of the House Oceans Caucus, and a longstanding advocate for our coasts and oceans, and reminding all of us and our country, how important they are to our economy. He helped lay the groundwork for a National Ocean Policy that recognizes that there are tens of millions of jobs across this country and trillions of dollars of economic activity that depend on healthy oceans. Sam has helped all sorts of special places throughout his career, especially in the Central Coast. He has never rested on his laurels. Despite his many accomplishments--and there are too many to list here-- I think it is important to note that he created the Pinnacles National Park, which was signed into law in 2013. He successfully lobbied to have a national monument at Fort Ord, which was designated in 2012. And Sam has told me many times, even in recent days, that the most satisfying part of his work here in Congress is the enduring part of his legacy, those permanent protections that he, through a lot of hard work and perseverance, has been able to make happen. Beyond all of this, all of these achievements, all of these offices that define Sam's public service career, I think it is also important to just note he is a heck of a human being. I will miss Sam. It has been said by Susan and others that he has just always got a warm smile. He greets you on the airplane. He is a pleasure to travel with. He will come up and give you a picture that he took from the last holiday party, sometimes like a year and a half earlier because he has kept it in his pocket for a long time waiting to see you. Sam, you are just a wonderful friend and human being, and I am so honored to have served with you. So let's talk about another great human being and public servant, Lois Capps. What I love about Lois and will deeply miss is the fact that she is a nurse to the core, and a health advocate. She really, as a Member of Congress, and as a health advocate, just walks the walk all the time, constantly advocating for affordable and accessible health care for all, and that includes, obviously, being a champion with her work for the Affordable Care Act. She really does leave this institution, I think, as one of its most respected members, one of the kindest members, certainly one of the ones with widespread affection from her colleagues. That is a reputation that I think everyone in public life should strive for. Lois, of course, is another stalwart for California's oceans and our coast, and has helped lead the charge against offshore drilling throughout her tenure. I think the part of Lois that I will especially appreciate and especially miss is that she is my living bridge to a wonderful time in my life when I was a student at UC Santa Barbara. Of course, Lois herself is a graduate of USCB, and I know that my fellow alumni and everyone in the UCSB community is so proud of her. It is extra special because, of course, she holds the seat in Congress that was previously held by the late Walter Capps, a UCSB professor who was one of my favorite professors way back in the 1980s when I was a Gaucho student. Finally, it is tough to say good-bye, but we have to, to our great friend, Mike Honda, who has so ably represented the Bay Area on the Appropriations Committee. He has made sure that Congress has invested in key priorities for our Bay Area region. The extension of BART is just one of many, many examples of Mike's great work. He served in public life for more than 3 decades, from the San Jose School Board to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, the California Assembly, and here in Congress. Mike's very special service draws upon his life experience. He has just been an incredible champion for civil rights and human rights and equality. He has really been our North Star, I think, here in Congress on these critical issues. He has gone to bat for the AAPI community, the LGBT community and, frankly, anyone who has been disadvantaged and who needs a champion in their quest for equality. Mike is my neighbor here in Washington. I will miss running into him. I will miss seeing that old, beat-up, first-generation Toyota Prius with all the faded stickers on the bumper. Most of all, I will just miss Mike's great sense of humor, his warm smile, and his friendship; but I do know that that friendship will continue. Mr. Speaker, and my colleague, Zoe Lofgren, thank you for the time to lend my voice of appreciation and gratitude to these great, great, champions for California and for our country. We wish them well.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Richard Cooper, Chief Executive Officer of Mendo Lake Credit Union, who is retiring after forty years of service to credit union members. Richard Cooper was born in Bend, Oregon, and raised in Alaska where he began his long career at Credit Union One in Anchorage. He continued his work in southern California until 2008 when he moved to Mendocino County and became the President and Chief Executive Officer at Mendo Lake Credit Union. Under Mr. Cooper's leadership, Mendo Lake Credit Union has thrived as a business and flourished as an award-winning community partner. Renowned for his civic service, Mr. Cooper was recognized as the Credit Union Times ``Rock Star of the Year'' in 2016. During his tenure at Mendo Lake Credit Union, it was recognized with ``Desjardins Youth Financial Education Award'' from the Credit Union National Association in 2014; a ``Trailblazer Award for Serving the Underserved'' by the Credit Union Times in 2015; and as a ``California Small Business Volunteer Program of the Year'' by the Governor's Office in 2012. In addition to his many contributions to these credit unions, Mr. Cooper has dedicated countless hours as an active board member of the Economic Development and Finance Corporation of Mendocino County, the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens, the Mendocino College Foundation, the Ukiah Senior Center Endowment Fund, and the Ukiah Valley Medical Center Community Advisory Council. Richard Cooper's career is one of dedicated service and the highest level of civic engagement. Please join me in congratulating him on his retirement and expressing our deep appreciation for his outstanding contributions to the residents of Mendocino County.