Jared Huffman

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I share the majority leader's view that California is a unique and iconic and majestic place. I would only add that part of what makes it so includes the great rivers and iconic salmon runs in California from the Central Valley to the North Coast, where I represent, and the incredibly important bay-delta estuary, the most ecologically important estuary on the West Coast of the Americas, which despite all of the damage we have done to it over the past 100-plus years, still teams with waterfowl and wildlife and still supports salmon that are the staple of the commercial salmon fishing industry, not just in California, but in Washington and Oregon. That is why groups who advocate for these fisheries, folks who make their living by depending on these fish, are uniformly against the Republican water bill that has been added in by way of this amendment. Fishing jobs matter, too. It is part of what makes California great. There is no one that understands that better than my colleague, Mike Thompson. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Thompson).

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. When I hear my colleagues across the aisle continually describe outflow through the delta estuary as water that is somehow wasted and available to be taken for any purpose, it requires us often to remind them that this delta water system without that outflow would not be available to millions of Californians for drinking water and it would not be available to the Central Valley for agricultural irrigation because that outflow maintains salinity control and water quality in this very complex water system. It is also incorrect--and, yet, we continue to hear it regularly-- that huge amounts of water in the last few years have been wasted for environmental purposes. The State Water Resources Control Board in California estimates that, in 2014, only 4 percent of all runoff in the bay-delta watershed flowed into the San Francisco Bay solely for environmental protection, again, because there are other values, other benefits, to this outflow that sustains water quality and other values in the system. In 2015, the State estimates that it was only 2 percent of the runoff in the watershed that made it through the system for environmental purposes only. It is important that we bear those facts in mind.

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from California (Mr. DeSaulnier) from Contra Costa County.

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

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. HUFFMAN. On the point of order?

Mr. HUFFMAN. I reserve a point of order.

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I am pleased to offer this amendment to the 2017 MILCON-VA spending bill, and to stand today with my colleague, the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Gallego), who has offered a stand-alone bill on this same subject, along with our colleague from Minnesota (Mr. Ellison). Last year, we all remember the tragic shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, and how it reopened a painful but necessary national conversation about symbols like the Confederate battle flag that represent racism, slavery, and division. Rightfully, leaders in South Carolina and other Southern States, Democrats and Republicans alike, joined together to call on their States to end the display of the Confederate battle flag on government property. The Confederate battle flag, a symbol of hate and opposition to the United States of America, has no place, no place on government property, especially not at VA cemeteries, a place where families and loved ones go to pay respect to our Nation's veterans. Over 150 years ago, slavery was abolished. Why in the year 2016 are we still condoning displays of this hateful symbol on our sacred national cemeteries? Symbols like the Confederate battle flag have meaning. They are not just neutral, historical symbols of pride. They represent slavery, oppression, lynching, and hate. To continue to allow national policy condoning the display of this symbol on Federal property is wrong, and it is disrespectful to what our country stands for and what our veterans fight for. Mr. Chairman, it is past time to end the public promotion of this cruel, racist legacy of the Confederacy. So let us move forward in a direction of reconciliation, unity, and justice. Symbols matter. Even General Robert E. Lee recognized that symbols of the Confederacy are symbols of treason, which is why he asked that they not appear at his funeral. The United States House of Representatives, in 2016, should be at least as forward-looking as Robert E. Lee was in 1869.

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Chairman, I request an ``aye'' vote, and I respectfully yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order.

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, my point is that the House of Representatives, in 2016, should be at least as forward-looking as General Robert E. Lee was in 1869. Let us do the right thing tonight in this House, and let's do it together, on a bipartisan basis. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize my constituent Richard M. Phillips of Tiburon, California, upon his retirement from the law firm of K&L Gates LLP after 45 years of private practice. Throughout his lengthy career, Mr. Phillips has been a leader in the areas of securities regulation and enforcement. He spent his professional career in both government service and private practice, with a focus on the development and enforcement of our nation's key laws and regulations relating to the protection of investors and the securities marketplace. Mr. Phillips' career spans many years of public service, holding various positions within the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including Assistant to the Chairman of the SEC, Assistant General Counsel, and Staff Director of SEC Corporate Disclosure and Investment Company Studies. He was recognized for his contributions to the development of securities law and for his service to the financial and SEC communities over the years when he was awarded the prestigious William O. Douglas Award by the SEC Alumni Association in 2001. In 1971, Mr. Phillips became a founding partner of the law firm of Hill, Christopher & Phillips of Washington, D.C., which eventually evolved into the current global law firm of K&L Gates LLP. Upon moving to Tiburon, California, with his wife Elda in 2000, Mr. Phillips co- founded the San Francisco office of K&L Gates, where he built his practice in the areas of securities regulation and investment management, representing and guiding clients through the complexities of the securities laws. In addition to Mr. Phillips' many accomplishments in the area of securities law, he has been a prolific writer and lecturer and has served in leadership roles for various publications and organizations focused on securities regulation, both at the national level and around the globe. Notably, he co-authored, edited, and was a guiding force behind the first Securities Enforcement Manual: Tactics and Strategies which was published in 1997 by the American Bar Association Section of Business Law. The Manual combined the collective practical experience of Mr. Phillips and his law firm colleagues in helping guide experienced and novice lawyers through the thicket of strategic and tactical issues in securities enforcement practice. He co-edited the second edition in 2007. These books continue to be relied upon by practitioners in this area. Mr. Phillips has been a tremendous mentor and guide to younger lawyers in helping them develop their expertise, and has been a valued member of his law firm whose accomplishments will live on. I ask my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to Mr. Phillips for his record of accomplishment and public service and in extending best wishes to him and to his wife Elda upon the occasion of his retirement.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Charles Black, who passed away on Monday, March 14 in Corte Madera. Born in Sydney, Australia, Mr. Black was a World War II Veteran who supported American troops in the Pacific with the Royal Australian Air Force. In his retirement, he and his wife settled in Marin County, where they continued to visit new places, sail, and enjoy life and family. Born in 1926, Mr. Black developed an early love for travel and boating. His family spent summers in New Zealand, and at the age of 10, took a 9-month trip around the world--which included a visit to the almost-completed Golden Gate Bridge. As a teenager, he witnessed WWII firsthand when a Japanese submarine fired torpedoes on American ships. When Mr. Black turned 18, he joined the Royal Australian Air Force to fight with the Allied troops in the Pacific Theatre. Following the war, he worked as a purser on ships sailing throughout the South Pacific and Asia, serving his entire career with Burns Philip. In 1972, he married Joanne Holloway of Corte Madera. In 1982, they began spending half the year in Sydney and half in Tiburon, and later settled full-time in Marin County. There, Mr. Black was an active member of the Tiburon Rotary Club, and was able to pursue his passion for sailing. Mr. Black will be remembered for his extraordinary kindness, spirit of adventure, and love for his family. He is survived by his children Liza and John, and his grandchildren Thomas, David and Claire. For his civic engagement and service during WWII, it is appropriate that we pay tribute to Charles Black today and express our deepest condolences to his surviving family and friends.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Nels Johnson of Fairfax, California, for more than 40 years of outstanding reporting at the Marin Independent Journal (IJ), the largest daily newspaper in Marin County. Mr. Johnson's columns and articles have sparked conversations and changed policies in our community for decades, and his presence in the paper will be sorely missed. A graduate of Rutgers University in New Jersey, Mr. Johnson initially came to California in a Volkswagen van on a cross-country road trip in the early 1970s. After working briefly at a weekly paper in Tiburon, he joined the IJ as a reporter in May of 1972, where he continued to work through his retirement on April 28 of this year. Mr. Johnson's encyclopedic knowledge of Marin County and its government is unparalleled. During his tenure, he covered some of the largest stories in the North Bay. From the Trailside Killer to the Mount Vision Fire to monitoring Supervisors' expense accounts, Mr. Johnson was at the forefront of the news he covered--and once, famously, became part of the story himself. When an elderly couple in Inverness disappeared in 1994, his reporting led investigators to find the truck in nearby Lake Nicasio. Throughout my years as a California State Assemblyman and now as Member of Congress, I always found his coverage to be tough, fearless, and fair. He often used his voice to empower the voiceless, particularly in elevating threats facing local fisheries and fishers. I appreciate the unbridled passion for journalism Mr. Johnson brought to the Marin IJ, and his honest approach to both big and small stories. I know I am not the only one of his readers who will miss Mr. Johnson's dogged reporting, insight into local news and issues, and, of course, his column on fishing. Mr. Speaker, it is therefore fitting that we honor and thank Nels Johnson for his immeasurable contributions to civic life in Marin County and California.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Jack Beritzhoff, who passed away on Thursday, April 21 in San Rafael, California at the age of 97. A Merchant Marine who served in both World War II and the Korean War, Mr. Beritzhoff advocated for the federal government to recognize his service and the service of nearly a quarter million other WWII Merchant Mariners. After a sea accident curtailed his Navy service, Mr. Beritzhoff joined the war effort as a Merchant Marine, a civilian sailor on ships carrying military cargo and supplies. During the war, he and his fellow Mariners delivered 203 million tons of materials, including bombs, guns, tanks, and troops, at great personal risk. Although the WWII Merchant Marines faced the second highest casualty rate, they were not officially recognized as Veterans. During the war, President Franklin Roosevelt had promised that the Mariners would receive full Veterans' benefits, but when he passed away that promise died with him. Mr. Beritzhoff and his fellow mariners were left out of the G.I. Bill, and it was not until an act of Congress in 1988 that they became eligible for Veteran status, which allowed them to enter VA hospitals, among other services. In the years since, Mr. Beritzhoff was a fierce advocate for recognizing the Mariners' contributions to the war, lobbying the White House and Congress and writing a book about his experience at sea. Last year, my colleagues Janice Hahn and John Duncan introduced H.R. 563, the World War II Merchant Mariners Act. If passed, the bill would recognize the 3,000-5,000 eligible WWII Merchant Marines ``for their bravery and sacrifice,'' and award them $25,000 each. A lifelong Californian, Mr. Beritzhoff will be remembered for his sense of humor, love for his family, and steadfast devotion to his cause. It is therefore appropriate that we pay tribute to him today and express our deepest condolences to his surviving family and friends.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize 10,000 Degrees in honor of its 35th anniversary. A nonprofit located in Marin County, California, 10,000 Degrees has worked to get thousands of underserved students into and through college. Founded in 1981, 10,000 Degrees has awarded approximately $56 million in scholarships during its three and a half decades, and has over 18,000 alumni of the program. Participants come from low-income households, and approximately 90 percent are the first in their families to attend college. Currently, the program serves 4,500 family members and students annually--nearly 90 percent of whom are people of color--and facilitates millions in scholarships and non-loan financial aid. Not only does 10,000 Degrees help pay for higher education, they are committed to preparing students for college success. With early college awareness training, financial aid counseling, and mentoring services, the organization ensures that over 80 percent of their students complete college--nearly three times the national rate of low income students, and significantly higher than both the national average and the average of students from affluent families. 10,000 Degrees has been an effective organization since its origin, with a wide-ranging impact that has touched thousands of lives in Marin County. Mr. Speaker, it is fitting to honor and thank 10,000 Degrees on their 35th anniversary for their impressive efforts toward making college accessible to all, and to wish them success in the decades to come.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Corinthian Yacht Club of San Francisco in honor of its 130th anniversary. Located in Tiburon, California, the CYC is the second-oldest yacht club in the western United States, and continues to serve as a premier cultural and sporting center in the Bay Area. Founded in 1886, the CYC sponsors local and international races, hosts more than 35 social events annually, and serves hundreds of members and guests at its dining sites. In particular, the club is known for its Opening Day on the Bay and Blessing of the Fleet events, as well as its spectacular views of the San Francisco Bay. The CYC also participates in and supports several philanthropic causes in Northern California and beyond. They host scholarship fundraising events through their Wooden Boat Show and hold an annual regatta to raise money for lung cancer research. Additionally, they convene sailing seminars for women and an educational speaker series that covers a range of educational and environmental topics. With a record of business success, commitment to yachting and boating, and involvement in the community, the historic Corinthian Yacht Club remains a cultural cornerstone that extends beyond the Town of Tiburon. Mr. Speaker, it is fitting that we honor the Corinthian Yacht Club of San Francisco on their 130th Anniversary for their ongoing contributions to Marin County and the Bay Area.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Roger Raiche for his distinguished environmental stewardship. Since 1981, Mr. Raiche has dedicated his time to researching and preserving the unique ecological zone and natural landscape of The Cedars in Sonoma County. In the 1980s, Mr. Raiche was the first scientist to bring the importance of The Cedars to the attention of the Bureau of Land Management. His research and documentation of the rare plants and ecology of the site were an important step in establishing it as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern and led to the discovery of several new plant species found nowhere else on Earth. Many institutions have been provided access to these important lands through his hospitality and volunteer work. Over the last 35 years, Mr. Raiche has led efforts to preserve additional parts of The Cedars. He has invested his personal resources to protecting the 500-acre Main Canyon parcel and volunteered his time to build trails, guide tours, and work towards public acquisition. Mr. Raiche personally reactivated a science program on these lands that had been inaccessible for 30 years and which had been the site of some very early and important work on geology and plate tectonics. During his involvement at The Cedars, Roger Raiche has made an invaluable contribution to the natural history of California and the preservation of the unique environment of The Cedars, and it is fitting to recognize this legacy.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Commonweal, a nonprofit in Marin County, California, in honor of their 40th anniversary. By serving our community in innumerable ways, from offering a healing space for people living with illnesses to providing educational opportunities to advocating for juvenile justice reform, Commonweal has had a unique and far-reaching influence across many issues and areas for a generation. Founded in 1976 by Michael Lerner, Carolyn Brown, and Burr Heneman, Commonweal was envisioned as a healing space to serve people and the planet. From the beginning, their partnership with the National Park Service has helped supply an appropriate backdrop--a scenic 60-acre site just south of the Point Reyes National Seashore--for the compassionate, attentive work done by the dedicated staff and Commonweal community over the years. Commonweal's efforts have touched countless lives within three broad areas of focus. Their health and healing programing includes week-long retreats for people with cancer and yoga therapy classes. Their efforts to support the arts and education include classes for teachers and students to better integrate creative thinking into school curriculum. Finally, their advocacy for the environment and justice incorporates work on health effects of environmental factors and research on juvenile justice laws. Their work is multifaceted and extensive, and has left a lasting, positive impact that can be felt throughout our community. For four decades, Commonweal has been a beloved, wide-reaching organization, and they have contributed significantly to West Marin's culture and character. It is therefore appropriate that we honor them today for their ongoing work and congratulate them on their anniversary celebration.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Marine Mammal Center in honor of its 40th anniversary. Located in Sausalito, California, the center seeks to expand knowledge of marine mammals and to inspire conservation efforts in the Bay Area and beyond. Founded in 1975, the Marine Mammal Center works to advance the lives of ocean mammals and their habitats through rescue operations, rehabilitation, scientific research, and education. They have rescued and treated more than 20,000 animals over the past four decades, providing care across more than 600 miles of California coast. Additionally, their education programs engage approximately 50,000 children and adults each year through field trips, teacher training, and volunteer opportunities. Along with providing direct care to individual animals, the Marine Mammal Center remains committed to protecting our water environments. Their ongoing awareness campaigns--from encouraging people to eat sustainable seafood to educating on the harmful effects of trash in our oceans--have made a lasting impact, and their scientific research has helped shed light on factors that impact the health of marine mammals, including the harmful effects of climate change. The Marine Mammal Center has been a force of nature in ocean protection efforts, not just in Marin County and the California Coast but around the world. Their small but mighty staff oversees more than 1,100 volunteers, and their researchers have contributed to hundreds of publications over the years. Mr. Speaker, it is fitting to honor and thank the Marine Mammal Center on their 40th Anniversary for their unyielding commitment to our oceans and the creatures that call it home.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 100th anniversary of the Native Daughters of the Golden West Parlor 210 in Fort Bragg, California. On March 2, 1916, twenty-seven women were initiated as charter members of the newly formed parlor of the Native Daughters of the Golden West, a statewide fraternal and patriotic organization that has served the community and helped preserve the town's history for one hundred years. Over the years, the Native Daughters of Fort Bragg Parlor has played an important role in raising awareness of Fort Bragg's unique history and in honoring important historical locations through plaques, volunteer work, and sharing the living history of the town with visitors and locals alike. They have helped Fort Bragg students further their education as well as countless other philanthropic efforts. The longstanding dedication and commitment of the Fort Bragg members of the Native Daughters of the Golden West has created a legacy of service and historic preservation in Fort Bragg and Mendocino County. Please join me in acknowledging and expressing gratitude to the Native Daughters of the Golden West Parlor 210 in Fort Bragg, California, for a century of service.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Chairman, with great respect to the senior legislator from Alaska, I have no doubt that he knows and understands the coastal plain and that area far better than I do and that anyone else in this body does, but I do know this: every Member of this body-- in fact, every American--has a stake in protecting the coastal plain of the Arctic wilderness. Migratory birds from the coastal plain go to all 49 of the other States. We are connected, whether we know it or not, with this critical, vital ecosystem in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge. The whole point of wilderness is to protect areas that we actually may never camp out in, that we may never see, but that are, nevertheless, of such great intrinsic value that they deserve this special protection. That is what this is all about. As to the argument that we need lots of new oil extraction and development in the Arctic, I would just point out that right next door to the Arctic Refuge is an enormous, essentially equal-sized area that we set aside for that purpose. It is called the National Petroleum Reserve. The oil industry has not seen fit to develop in that area, nor does it look like they will any time soon, with oil hovering around $30 a barrel and this week the Saudis saying they may be taking it all the way down to $20 a barrel. Right now, because of its overdependence on the oil economy, the State of Alaska is hemorrhaging. Oil revenues are down by half. The permanent fund is hemorrhaging. Meanwhile, the tourist economy, which is built around preserving and protecting natural resources, is growing and will soon eclipse oil revenues in terms of the economic impact. Let's look to the future. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Chairman, today I am offering an amendment to the SHARE Act to direct the Government Accountability Office to delve deeper into an important issue, and that is the ivory trade, which has sparked international concern. Last year my home State of California became the third State in the country to approve tougher restrictions on the intrastate ivory trade, joining New York and New Jersey in that regard. The new California law, AB 96, closes a loophole that had allowed the import of ivory harvested from animals killed before 1977. Now, this loophole made a ban of the import of elephant ivory nearly impossible to enforce because distinguishing between pre- and post-1977 ivory products would require very expensive isotope testing. The California law also included a ban on the growing trade in mammoth ivory--this is ivory discovered in Siberia and elsewhere-- ironically made easier because of warming weather and melting tundra due to the impacts of climate change. There is growing concern that Chinese ivory traders are passing off illegal elephant tusks as mammoth ivory in order to avoid international elephant ivory bans. But distinguishing between mammoth ivory and elephant ivory requires technical testing, which makes, again, enforcement of an elephant ivory ban very difficult unless the mammoth ivory trade is also addressed. Now, some argue that, despite this difficulty, legal mammoth ivory can reduce the market for illegal elephant ivory. Although I don't agree with that, I do understand the concerns. That is why, with this amendment, we are simply asking the GAO to study the issue, to look at what various experts have to say, and give us some advice. To make smart policy decisions, we need that kind of information on how a ban on the trade of fossilized ivory from mammoths would affect the illegal importation and trade of elephant ivory within the United States. So I respectfully request your support of this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I would request an ``aye'' vote. I yield back the balance of my time.