Jared Huffman

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to recognize Mr. Scott Downie on the occasion of his retirement from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Mr. Downie's long commitment to the conservation of fisheries and watersheds of the North Coast has improved the environment for all Californians. Mr. Downie's service to the North Coast includes 14 years as a commercial fisherman, 10 years as a habitat restoration coordinator for the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations, and 23 years as a fish habitat supervisor and senior environmental scientist with Fish and Wildlife. Mr. Downie is also a co-founder of the AmeriCorps Watershed Stewards Project and of the Eel River Watershed Improvement Group. Mr. Downie's vast experience and understanding of fisheries has helped preserve Northern California's vital salmonid populations and has inspired many others dedicated to this cause. His accomplishments and leadership will undoubtedly leave a legacy for many years to come. Please join me in expressing deep appreciation to Mr. Scott Downie for his long and impressive career, and his exceptional record of service.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to recognize Mr. Gary Flosi on his recent retirement from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Mr. Flosi's dedication to the North Coast's fisheries and watersheds has been a tremendous service to the state. Mr. Flosi began his career as a wildland firefighter with the California Ecology Corps in October 1975, then moved on to work with the California Conservation Corps. When he joined Fish and Wildlife, he helped develop the fisheries technician program with the CCC and led the state's peer review committee for Fish and Wildlife's Fisheries Restoration Grants Program. Mr. Flosi co-founded the AmeriCorps Watershed Stewards Project and has served on its Advisory Committee for 20 years. Through 4-H and FFA, the CCC and AmeriCorps, Mr. Flosi has passed on his understanding of the importance of fisheries to many who follow in his footsteps. His example will continue to inspire those who wish to restore the environment and fisheries that are so vital to California. Please join me in expressing deep appreciation to Mr. Gary Flosi for his long and impressive career, and his exceptional record of service.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to recognize Ms. Barbara Heller on the occasion of her retirement from the San Rafael City Council. Ms. Heller's two decades of service on the San Rafael City Council have been marked by her dedication to improving the quality of life for those who live and work in the City of San Rafael. Ms. Heller's commitment to San Rafael and the wider Marin community has been characterized by her leadership on a wide array of groups, as President of the Marin County Council of Mayors and Councilmembers, President of the Marin Transit Board of Directors, the San Rafael Planning Commission, the San Rafael Sanitation District, and many other committees. Throughout her service, Barbara demonstrated a fundamental and deep understanding of the many ways in which the entire San Rafael community would benefit from vibrant, civic-minded economic development. She has set a prime example of caring, insightful, and pragmatic governance focused on the people whom she served. Please join me in expressing deep appreciation to Ms. Barbara Heller for her long and impressive career, and her exceptional record of service.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to recognize Ms. Susan Stompe on the occasion of her recognition as the Novato Citizen of the year. Residing in the City of Novato for four decades, Susan has been actively involved with an extensive list of community organizations and her stellar service has resulted in many impressive awards including the Sierra Club's Resource Conservation Award, Marin Conservation League's Volunteer Award, and the City of Novato's Outstanding Leadership Award. Ms. Stompe's passion and commitment to Novato and to the wider Marin community has been characterized by her enduring spirit of volunteerism. She has devoted her time to educational, environmental and civic organizations, providing leadership and passion to a wide array of public projects. Ms. Stompe has been an exemplary citizen of Novato, striving to improve the city for all of its residents. Her inspiring commitment and dedication will have a lasting impact on her community for many years to come. Please join me in expressing deep appreciation to Ms. Susan Stompe for her long and impressive record of service.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Madam Speaker, improving the fuel efficiency of our cars and trucks is one of the most important things that we can do to fight climate change. Thanks to an executive order signed by President Obama, the Federal vehicle fleet is becoming more efficient. By 2020, it will reduce petroleum use by 30 percent, saving money and cleaning the air. But the United States Postal Service, which owns and operates the world's largest civilian fleet, is exempt from this critical effort; and it is headed in the wrong direction on fossil fuel consumption as 141,000 of their vehicles, nearly three-quarters of their delivery fleet, are aging Grumman LLVs, the old mail truck that we see in our neighborhoods every day. Most get less than 10 miles to the gallon, and they are reaching the end of their operational life span. To save money and cut emissions, the postal service desperately needs a modern, efficient fleet. That is why I am introducing the FLEET Act, the Federal Leadership in Energy Efficient Transportation, in order to close the fuel efficiency gap between the postal service and other modern, fuel-efficient fleets. A quarter of our Nation's greenhouse gas emissions are emitted from the transportation sector. It is time to take our worst fleet and make it into our best fleet.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, the weather outside is frightful; and if you listen to certain conservative media networks, you hear something not so delightful. You hear that, because it is snowing, there must not be climate change. This is unscientific, it is reductive; but that is what climate deniers say this time of year. Well, Mr. Speaker, winter happens every year, and the fact that it is snowing simply means that it is snowing. Instead of looking at December snowflakes, we should be looking at the science. Since 1970, not that long ago, winter temperatures have increased an average of .55 degrees per decade, reducing snowpacks and creating water shortages across the country. If you want to look at something immediate, look at California, where we are experiencing the driest year on record, and that is why we need to start getting serious about our response to climate change. We need to adopt new policies and adapt to the changes that are happening. And one place to start is how we operate our reservoirs. Instead of relying on old-school water manuals that are decades out of date, we should be using modern science and modern weather forecasting. Our water supply, our food supply and our future will be impacted by climate change, so let's lead.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 612 and No. 613: my flight from California was delayed and I arrived after votes. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes,'' on both.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Neal Sanders for his 33 years of faithful service on the Board of Directors of the Open Door Community Health Centers. Originally from Covina, California, Neal Sanders has demonstrated a life-long commitment to community service, including a successful career as one of the most highly respected and desired criminal defense attorneys of Humboldt County. A graduate of California Western in San Diego, he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree followed by his Juris Doctorate at McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento. Neal Sanders is a member of the California State Bar, lifetime member of the Traynor Society, and recipient of the American Jurisprudence Award. His passion for helping others extends beyond his career to his roles as former chair and commissioner of the Human Rights Commission, former board member of the Humboldt Arts Council, former board member and chair of Redwood Legal Assistance, and current board member of the Open Door Community Health Centers. When Neal Sanders joined the Open Door Board of Directors in 1980, he joined an organization committed to expanding access to quality health care on California's north coast, regardless of age, income, or ability to pay. Through 33 years of unprecedented growth, he has served in a variety of positions including chair of the board. Neal Sanders helped guide Open Door from a small storefront operation to being the largest primary care provider in Northern California. He was instrumental in securing the USDA loan that helped build the Humboldt Open Door Clinic in Arcata--the first fully functional health center in the Open Door system. Neal Sanders continues to share his time, talent and commitment as an active board member and leader in health care access for all residents of the north coast. Mr. Speaker, Neal Ingall Sanders' dedication to serving his community, and specifically his decades of service to the Open Door Community Health Centers, is commendable and worthy of recognition. I urge my colleagues to join me in recognition of his many contributions to the people of Northern California.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the late Robert Morris, a respected outdoorsman, engineer, and passionate advocate for the protection of the Trinity Alps Wilderness. Robert Morris was born in Weaverville, California, on January 4, 1935, a descendent of pioneer families who came to Trinity County during the state's Gold Rush. After graduating from high school in Weaverville, he attended Stanford University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in engineering. From there, Robert earned a master's degree in engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He returned to Stanford for his Ph. D. and worked with laser science and technology pioneer Anthony Siegman on the development of masers and their relationship to quantum physics. Robert Morris' heart was always in the mountains surrounding his hometown. On a pack trip in 1962, he met his wife-to-be, Susanne Twight, whom he married in 1963. The couple moved to Weaverville in 1964, and Robert worked as a manager for The Western Telephone Co. He became president of the company after then-president Gil Snyder died unexpectedly. He also volunteered with the Trinity County Historical Society and began restoring the old Lower Waldorff Ranch, where two children were raised. When the Wilderness Bill passed Congress in 1964, Robert Morris saw an opportunity to re-designate the then-Salmon-Trinity Alps Primitive Area as a wilderness. For the next 20 years, Robert organized supporters to map and plan the boundaries of the Trinity Alps proposed wilderness and began lobbying Congress. In 1982, the U.S. House Subcommittee on Public Lands and National Parks held a public hearing in the Trinity High School gym, followed by a helicopter tour of the Trinity Alps for Members of Congress that he led. On September 28, 1984, Congress passed--and President Ronald Reagan signed--the bill to designate the Trinity Alps Wilderness. The importance of Morris' efforts to protect this incredible landscape cannot be overstated. Mr. Speaker, Robert Morris was a pioneer in conservation whose education and passion has enriched the community where he was raised. I urge my colleagues to join me in recognition of his tremendous achievements and contributions to Northern California.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, some of my colleagues want to go back to the old way of doing business on health insurance. We can't go back to the days when people with preexisting conditions were denied coverage and women were asked to pay more simply because they are women. We know the ACA rollout has not been perfect. We knew all along a reform of this magnitude would require some adaptive management. It happened with Social Security and Medicare, but we worked together to improve those cornerstones of our social safety net, not tear them down. So let's work to fix the problems of the ACA, but let's tell the whole story, including the good parts of this law. In California, we are on track to meet our enrollment goals--tens of thousands of people already enrolled. I am hearing countless good news stories about the ACA: a mom whose son was hospitalized with a brain tumor who would have hit a lifetime cap, but now they have coverage and they can focus on that child's recovery; a constituent in Trinity County who just emailed me--he and his wife are buying a car with the savings they are achieving thanks to the ACA. There are dozens and dozens more success stories because of this law. I hope my Republican colleagues will join in fixing the problems with this law and give it a chance to work. There are too many good things happening because of health care reform to go back to the old way of doing business.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 2655, the so- called ``Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act.'' This is a misleading title and a misleading bill. A plaintiff courageously seeking to stand up to civil rights violations, equal protections violations, or voting rights infringement IS NOT abusing anything: she's exercising her rights enshrined in the Constitution. When I practiced law in California, I know that those I represented-- from victims of workplace discrimination to women athlete scholars looking for equal opportunities--would have been hurt by this bill, and their cases may never have been heard. Ordering sanctions should be at the discretion of the judge, not Congress. This bill would reverse the good judgment and counsel of the Judicial Conference of the United States and the Supreme Court, both of which recommended the change twenty years ago. Our Courts are a great equalizer; the courtroom is often the only place that a plaintiff can find a fair and equal footing with employers, corporations, and even their government. This bill would have a chilling effect on the ability of Americans to find justice for civil rights violations, employment discrimination claims, privacy suits, equal protection violations, voting rights claims, consumer protection claims, and so much more. The changes proposed in this bill would negatively impact cases where the bulk of the evidence rests with one party, disproportionately impacting plaintiffs in civil rights and consumer protection litigation. This bill would also negatively impact civil cases that involve new legal theories, meaning that landmark cases in our nation's history may never have made it to the Supreme Court; cases like Brown v. Board of Education, Griswald v. Connecticut, Massachusetts v. EPA. If my colleagues are serious about reforming the legal system, I would be very interested in working with them. There are abusive litigation tactics by both plaintiffs and defendants, and we could work in a responsible, bipartisan manner to address those. But this bill is not a serious attempt to level the playing field or to curb real abuses. Instead, it puts Congress' thumb on one side of the scale of justice. I urge my colleagues to vote against this bill.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to once again speak about the issue of climate change that is affecting every country, but as the World Bank has found, the impacts are not distributed equally. It is likely that the poorest nations on Earth will be the hardest hit. The U.N. ranks the Philippines as the country that is third most vulnerable to the effects of climate change because of its geography, its poverty, and the state of its infrastructure. As all of my colleagues know, one of the most powerful storms on record tore through Asia this past week--and the Philippines in particular. In the wake of Typhoon Haiyan, many thousands are dead and hundreds of thousands more are homeless and desperate for help. As we learn more about the devastation, I ask my colleagues to pay careful attention to the words of Yeb Sano, head of the Philippines delegation to the U.N. climate talks: What my country is going through as a result of this extreme climate event is madness . . . Typhoons such as Haiyan and its impacts represent a sobering reminder to the international community that we cannot afford to procrastinate on climate action. He is right. The Philippines tragedy is the latest wake-up call on climate change. So let's wake up.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Andrea Tuttle, who is being honored, along with her husband Don, as the Humboldt County DCC Citizen of the Year, an award she richly deserves. Andrea Tuttle's extensive work in forestry and climate issues around the world has made her an expert whose knowledge is invaluable in Humboldt County and around the globe. The expertise she has gained in her considerable academic and administrative experience has guided conservation, forestry and climate projects in California, the Pacific Northwest and in Asia. Earning undergraduate and Ph. D. degrees at the University of California at Berkeley and a master's degree at the University of Washington, Andrea Tuttle was also appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown to the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board from 1976 to 1984; worked as staff for Sen. Barry Keene on the state Senate Select Committee on Forest Resources from 1987 to 1991; was appointed by Assembly Speaker Cruz Bustamante to the California Coastal Commission from 1997 to 1999; and was appointed by Gov. Gray Davis as Director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection from 1999 through 2004. Andrea Tuttle is currently an independent consultant on forest and climate policy, the chairwoman of the Pacific Forest Trust and an observer on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change with a focus on reduced emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. Andrea Tuttle has published in a wide variety of scientific publications on timber management and forest carbon issues, among others. Her years of teaching as an instructor in science and natural resources at Humboldt State University, the College of the Redwoods and at UC Berkeley highlight Andrea Tuttle's desire to share what she has learned for the improvement of the local and global communities. Mr. Speaker, Andrea Tuttle's dedication to conservation and natural resources at home in Humboldt County and abroad is commendable and worthy of recognition. I urge my colleagues to join me in extending our congratulations for her selection as Citizen of the Year.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Don Tuttle, who is being honored, along with his wife Andrea, as the Humboldt County DCC Citizen of the Year, an award he richly deserved. Don Tuttle's long career with the Humboldt County Public Works Department's Natural Resources Division and his deep involvement in key resource, energy and historical issues has been a great benefit to Humboldt County and California's North Coast. His expertise and meticulous chronicling of events continues to be an asset on which the community relies. Don Tuttle's positions as administrator of the Eel-Russian River Commission from 1978 to 1988, and as a member of the Trinity River Task Force Technical Advisory Committee, helped shape the recovery of two essential North Coast rivers. As chairman of the Humboldt Bay Harbor Safety Commission, he was instrumental in developing the Humboldt Bay Deepening Project, which allows the harbor to act as a deep-water port and ensures the safety of all mariners. As a longtime member of the Humboldt County Historical Society, and president of the society from 1989 to 1992, Don Tuttle has painstakingly worked to preserve the county's rich history. Among the vital efforts in which Don Tuttle was instrumental are helping secure funding from Congress for a bank protection project to shield King Salmon from wave and tidal action; assisting in recapturing water diverted from the Eel River for the benefit of salmon and steelhead; developing a mitigation bank in conjunction with the Fay Slough Wildlife Area north of Eureka; and the creation of a vast data bank of aerial photographs, maps, and documents used by many professionals in Humboldt County. Mr. Speaker, Don Tuttle's tremendous efforts to preserve and protect the Humboldt County community and its natural resources are worthy of recognition. I urge my colleagues to join me in extending our congratulations for his selection as Citizen of the Year.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to recognize the Humboldt County Farm Bureau on the occasion of their centennial year. One hundred years ago, in July of 1913, the Humboldt County Farm Bureau was established as a center for local farmers and ranchers to exchange information and industry practices. The oldest Farm Bureau in the State of California and the second oldest in the nation, it is a membership-based, grass-roots organization dedicated to promoting and preserving agriculture in Humboldt County. The establishment of the Humboldt County Farm Bureau provided the opportunity to host a Farm Advisor from the University of California, a position that changed many of the agricultural practices and provided scientific research to improve production in the county. With the development of the UC Extension Office also came the 4-H Program, and in both cases Humboldt's were the first in California. The Farm Bureau is Humboldt County's single largest general agricultural organization representing and supporting all aspects of agriculture from dairy to timber, cattle, produce, oysters, wineries, and the floral industry. A non-profit organization working towards positive solutions to the problems faced by farming and rural communities, it collaborates with other local, county, and state agriculture organizations to promote and protect family farms and develop better methods and practices in farming and management. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the Humboldt County Farm Bureau on their centennial anniversary and ask my colleagues and the North Coast community to join me in wishing them all the best for another 100 years.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, this is a critical moment for the 113th Congress of the United States. We have an opportunity to let this House work its will, to end the government shutdown, to protect the full faith and credit of our country, to show the whole world that after a 3-week bout with insanity, the duly elected Representatives of the people in this Congress finally came to their senses. But I am concerned that that is not where we are heading here in the 11th hour of this crisis as we approach the precipice of the debt ceiling and the prospect of default. Instead of working together to develop a budget that would work for Americans, my colleagues across the aisle in the Republican Party continue to let reckless ideologues drive their agenda and drive all of us further into a national crisis. I have the honor of serving on the Budget Committee; and along with Ranking Member Van Hollen, the Democratic members of that committee have been calling since the spring for a conference committee so that we could actually work out a budget that could work for both parties and for the American people, but the GOP leadership in this House has refused to appoint conferees, has refused to go into that negotiation. Why did they do that? Because they preferred the strategy of taking us to this point, into this crisis with the government shutdown, up to the edge of the cliff with the possibility of default because they wanted to maximize their leverage. Why have they shut down the government? Why have they put us in this position? Well, we heard for months that it was their obsession with the Affordable Care Act, with repealing, delaying, defunding ObamaCare. Yet all of a sudden, 3 weeks into this crisis, the goalposts are moving. It is not so much about ObamaCare. Sometimes it is in, and sometimes it is out on their list of demands. What about the deficit and the debt? Sometimes that is part of the stated reason for this manufactured crisis. Back to ObamaCare. There is no question about it that the CBO says that moving forward with the Affordable Care Act will actually improve our deficit, will actually help us better manage our long-term debt. We know that there are all sorts of things that we could do together if reducing the deficit and managing our debt was the goal. For example, we could pass bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform, which again the CBO tells us would lower our deficits, lower our national debt, but that doesn't seem to really be what this Republican-manufactured crisis is all about. It calls to mind the farewell address of our first President--the Founder of our country, George Washington--who warned about political parties who were at war with their own government. He warned about factions that were driven to defeat other factions by the spirit of revenge and dissension and how that itself would become a frightful form of despotism. Mr. Speaker, it seems to me that we are walking very close to that awful scenario that our first President dreaded. Now we are hearing a bit of good news from the other House that Senator Reid and Senator McConnell are close to a bipartisan agreement to help resolve this crisis. I have no doubt there would be enough votes in this House to pass that kind of agreement. So to my Republican friends, let us vote on that deal or, even better, let us vote on the clean CR that has been pending in this House for weeks that could get us out of this crisis. It would temporarily fund the government at Republican funding levels while we work on a longer-term budget solution. Let us vote. It seems to me that the GOP needs to simply take ``yes'' for an answer, allow this House to work its will and get out of this crisis. Unfortunately, we have heard from Senator Reid that there were deals reached weeks ago. When Speaker Boehner brought those deals back to this House, he found that the Tea Party faction in his caucus wouldn't support him, and, instead, they chose to shut this government down and take us into this crisis. They did something worse than that. They rigged the rules of this House with the so-called martial law that has prevented Democrats from offering any alternatives, any off-ramps for this crisis. They shut down the government, and they hardwired it to stay shut down, and now, like the dog that finally catches the car, my Republican friends don't know what to do with the situation they have created. I have a suggestion. Instead of continuing to grope for overreaching concessions and fig leafs, cut your losses. Admit that this scorched- Earth politics of obstruction--this war against the very government that you were sent here to govern--is a bad idea. Let us vote on solutions to end this crisis. We don't even need an apology for all of the damage you have caused-- for the $160 million a day that has undermined our economic recovery and economic losses from this shutdown. We don't even need an apology for the thousands of Federal employees indefinitely furloughed, for the national parks and forests that have been shuttered, for the loans to farmers and families, who are trying to purchase homes, that have been held up. We don't need you to apologize for halting lifesaving research, for any of that. Just let us vote to end this crisis. If you don't, don't bother apologizing, because the American people will never forgive the damage you have done to this country and to our standing in the world.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Absolutely. As we talk about this incredible economic damage and risk that politicians are taking with our economy, what I am hearing from my district is how incredulous people are because there is such an obvious and simple solution and way forward. Let's have an up-or-down vote on whether we should continue this government shutdown or end it, and even end it, at least temporarily, on Republican budget numbers. That seems so eminently reasonable and sensible. In fact, it was the deal that one House struck and advanced out of that House with bipartisan action. Yet here we are in the House of Representatives with a small faction rejecting that deal, holding the entire country's economy potentially hostage for political reasons. It is just something my constituents can't understand.

Mr. HUFFMAN. I would.

Mr. HUFFMAN. I want to thank my friend from inland southern California very much for including me in this Special Order hour. There are so many ways in which this Republican government shutdown is hurting the people of California, hurting the people of my district. But I just wanted to speak for a few minutes about some very particular ways in my district that people are feeling the pain. The Second District of California is an amazing place. I am honored to represent it. One of the things that makes it special are the abundant public lands. We have protected coasts, parks, recreation areas, forests, and wilderness areas. These public lands are essential to our region's tourism, recreation, and resource economy. The north coast's tourism economy is a big deal. It creates $3.5 billion in annual tourism spending, more than 42,000 jobs, and nearly $225 million in local and State tax revenue. Visitors from all over America--and, in fact, all over the world--come to our public lands. Thanks to the Republican shutdown, much of that economic activity is grinding to a halt. The Point Reyes National Seashore is closed. In 2011, this seashore received 2.1 million visitors and brought in $93.3 million in economic activity to the area. The shutdown is starting to impact small business owners in and around the park in West Marin. These are folks who subsist on the tourism dollars that this world-famous seashore and working landscape attracts. Nearby, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area is also closed. That collection of lands welcomes 14.5 million visitors a year. The spending on an annual basis is nearly $300 million for the region because of that visitation. The commissaries and vendors right now are shut down. They aren't purchasing the locally-sourced food that they serve. They are further hurting the Marin and Sonoma County farms and dairies because of that shutdown. Tourism is one of the most important drivers of Mendocino County's economy further to the north. It pumps in $314 million directly to that county's economy. That was in the year 2011. Seventy-four percent of the visitors to the county come to the public lands--lands that are now closed. What about California's redwood coast further north in Humboldt County? You guessed it: Redwood National Park is being forced to turn away visitors. Yet, in response to the shutdown, this House has spent the last week voting on Band-Aid bills that attempt to pit one part of government or one program against all the others. This is a surreal proposition: the idea that our economy is hemorrhaging more than $300 million a day because of this political stunt and our GOP majority offers these Band- Aid bills that aren't going to end it. The Senate is not going to take up and approve these bills, and the President has made it clear that he would veto them even if they did. So this is not going to solve the problem; but that, unfortunately, is how we have been spending our time. These are not honest attempts to restore funding for our public lands. They wouldn't begin to undo the damage that this shutdown is doing to our resources and our recreational industries. The House majority is pursuing a cynical PR strategy. It is creating Hollywood storefronts rather than seriously trying to reopen our government. Even if these piecemeal bills were to pass, let's not pretend that it would solve the problem. To give you just one example, one of the Band- Aid bills that we debated and voted on over the last week pretended to reopen our parks, and yet it would not reopen--it completely ignores, in fact--the 2.4 million acres of National Forest Service land. There are many other examples of park and recreation areas and public lands that would have been left behind and still subject to the government shutdown. In my congressional district, we have major Forest Service lands and a Forest Service presence. Many people in businesses rely on our national forests being open for business. Just this week, I got word that a salvage logging operation in the Shasta- Trinity National Forest is at risk of being shut down because of where we are with this Republican government shutdown. This is a salvage logging operation in the wake of a serious fire that we have seen. It is a consensus project to harvest trees, to avoid public hazards, to do something that is good for the forest, good for the local economy, and it is at risk of not happening because of this political stunt. This is causing real economic damage and potentially real fire safety damage to the communities that I represent. So let's stop posturing. Let's stop the PR stunts. Let's stop the Hollywood storefronts. Stop deflecting, stop insulting the intelligence of the American people. Let's have an up or down vote to reopen our public lands and, indeed, to reopen our government.

Mr. HUFFMAN. There is no doubt about it. I think you are exactly right. Of course, prior to my election in Congress, I spent 6 years in the California Legislature, where we had our own fiscal crises and, yes, at times the government practically shut down. We worked through it. We found compromise. You are absolutely right, Congressman. California is on the verge of a tremendous comeback. Jobs are coming in; investment is coming into our State. Things are really beginning to happen in a great way in the State of California after a tough period. Just as it seems we are getting started, along comes this Federal Government shutdown with so many impacts to our economy. The debates that we have here in Washington don't even scratch the surface of how this is hurting people and undermining consumer confidence and setting us back in places like California, where we have the potential to do enormous things in terms of research and so many other ways we contribute to the national economy.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, it is my distinct pleasure to honor the enduring efforts of Mrs. Denise Wear on the occasion of the Chinese Newcomers Service Center Benefit on September 27, 2013 in San Francisco, California. For over 25 years, Denise Wear has devoted substantial time, talent, and resources to help raise funds and support for various community groups and she has coordinated many regional events for children and families. Mrs. Wear has dedicated herself to many causes and organizations seeking to improve our communities including Friends of China Camp State Park, Bay Area Discovery Museum, and Asian Scholarship Fund. Through her efforts she has been instrumental in promoting the history of the early Chinese immigrants and appreciation of Chinese language and culture. Please join me in expressing deep appreciation to Mrs. Denise Wear for her long and impressive record of service to the Asian community in Marin County and to our entire Bay Area Community.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, we are seeing significant natural disasters this month, from the historic floods that are wreaking havoc across Colorado to the third-largest wildfire in California's history--the Rim fire in and around Yosemite National Park. These disasters have taken lives, they have driven families from their homes, and it will take years--and many, many millions of dollars--to clean up and repair all of the damage. Yes, these are ``natural'' disasters, but that doesn't mean that we aren't culpable. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as well as the British meteorological office found in a recent study that for at least half of last year's worst weather events, human activities made them more likely and more severe. Specifically, human-influenced climate change had an effect on Superstorm Sandy, heat waves in the United States, and drought in Europe. But the climate deniers in Congress continue to ignore what's happening right in front of our eyes. We must get beyond extreme politics and start addressing the extreme damage of climate change.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to recognize National Health Center Week, celebrating the more than 1,200 health centers providing vital health care for 22 million individuals at more than 9,000 locations across the country. During the week of August 11- 17th, celebrations of National Health Center Week will be taking place at West County Health Centers and Petaluma Health Center in my Congressional district. America's community health centers are the core of our health care system and the nation's social safety net, delivering high quality, cost-effective, and accessible primary and preventative care to individuals regardless of their ability to pay. Health centers are located in medically underserved areas and controlled locally by patient-majority boards, making each health center responsive to the needs of the individual community it serves. From the Marin Community Clinic to Crescent City Health Care Center, California's Second Congressional District, which I am honored to represent, is served by a network of vibrant community health centers offering patient-focused, coordinated healthcare that families and individuals need. National Health Center Week offers us the opportunity to recognize all those responsible for the continued success and growth of community health centers nationwide. Since this program's inception 50 years ago, health centers have served those in need with comprehensive, high quality, cost effective, and accessible health care, and I am grateful for their role in the North Coast community. My staff and I look forward to participating in community celebrations of National Health Center Week, and I ask my colleagues to join me in marking the occasion and sending America's health centers our best wishes for another successful 50 years.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to recognize Humboldt State University's Centennial Year. Founded in 1913, Humboldt State University is the only state university in coastal Northern California and in my Congressional District. The university has made major contributions to the intellectual life, culture and economy of the North Coast, California and the nation. One hundred years ago, on June 16, 1913, North Coast citizens had the foresight to help formally establish Humboldt State Normal School and to pledge $12,000 and 12 acres of land to the school. Humboldt State University formally opened on April 6, 1914, and has since awarded more than 55,000 degrees to students from diverse economic and ethnic backgrounds. Humboldt State University offers a broad array of academic programs and an outstanding college experience for 8,000 students each year, while contributing greatly to the regional community. The annual economic impact of Humboldt State University is estimated to be $190 million on the North Coast and $400 million statewide. Humboldt State University is widely known for the personal attention faculty provide to students, and for the hands-on experiences which complement classroom learning. The Humboldt State University faculty has established a strong reputation for excellence in teaching and research. A longstanding commitment to environmental and social responsibility permeates the Humboldt State University curriculum and campus culture, which has enabled its alumni to make a difference wherever they live. Mr. Speaker, I commend Humboldt State University for its many academic achievements and for the services it provides to many students throughout the state and nation. I encourage my colleagues and the North Coast community to join me in celebrating the university's centennial and in offering best wishes for its next 100 years.

Mr. HUFFMAN

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to recognize the 201st anniversary of Fort Ross, a California State Park and the site of an early Russian colony established on the North Coast of California in 1812. The annual Fort Ross Festival and Dialogue will take place on July 27-29, 2013 to celebrate the history and cultural significance of the site, and I ask my colleagues to join me in extending best wishes for the event. Fort Ross is located in the home region of the Kashaya Pomo people of Northern California. In the early 1800s, the Russian-American Company founded Fort Ross as an early agricultural and fur-trading outpost to support their operations from San Francisco to Alaska. Russian colonists developed farms, ranches, and hunting operations in concert with local Kashaya and Alaska Native employees, playing an early role in establishing the agricultural character of the North Coast. Today, Fort Ross is a national historic landmark, and an important piece of the shared history of the Russian and American people. Through cultural events, archeological study, and efforts to preserve the historical structures at the site, Fort Ross has become a hub for the Russian-American community and a destination for visitors from all over the world. The Fort Ross Festival will offer historical re-enactments and celebrations of Russian influence in the region while the Dialogue will enable Russian and American leaders to discuss Russian-American relations and trade in the modern era. As we reflect on this unique landmark of California's history, I thank both the Fort Ross Conservancy and California State Parks for their commitment to restoring and preserving the park's historic buildings and features. This beautiful 3,400 acre park is a jewel of Sonoma County's coastline and offers visitors both outdoor recreation and historical significance. I ask my colleagues to join me in marking this historic occasion and sending them our best wishes for a successful festival.