George Radanovich

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. I thank the gentlewoman from Florida. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3056) to clarify the boundaries of the John H. Chafee Coast Barrier Resources System Cedar Keys Unit P25 on Otherwise Protected Area P25P, as amended.

Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may be given 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite).

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the Senate bill under consideration.

Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from West Virginia (Mrs. Capito), the author of the bill.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica).

Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. I thank the gentleman from Missouri and I urge adoption of the bill. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may be given 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt), the majority whip.

Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4481) to amend Public Law 86-434 establishing Wilson's Creek National Battlefield in the State of Missouri to expand the boundaries of the park, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. RADANOVICH

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

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, upon reading S. 741, there appears to be some confusion over the application of the allergen labeling requirements. It is my understanding that the requirements contained in this bill only apply to food subject to regulation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). I would like to clarify that wine and other alcoholic beverages are regulated by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. Subject to a Memorandum of Understanding with the FDA, the Tax and Trade Bureau has primary jurisdiction over the production and labeling of most wine and other alcoholic beverages. In this regard, the Tax and Trade Bureau is sensitive to the issue of allergens in alcoholic beverages. For example, wine with levels of sulfites over 10 parts per million has been required to state ``Contains Sulfites'' since 1987. The Tax and Trade Bureau works closely with the FDA in determining whether such labeling is appropriate. Because of the manner in which wine and other alcoholic beverages are produced, there are significant questions whether substances that Tax and Trade Bureau allows to be used in the production of wine would have any allergenic effect. In this connection, other countries have implemented or are considering additional regulation of allergens in their food supply. Due to the potential impact of this on the international wine trade, research specifically directed to the allergenic effect of certain substances used in production of wine in being conducted in Australia and elsewhere. In light of this research, the industry section of the World Wine Trade Group (WWTG) (an intergovernmental organization which seeks to facilitate trade in wine among its members, including the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Chile), submitted the following statement to their Governments: Allergen Labeling for Wine Several countries, including WWTG members countries, have introduced or are considering the introduction of labeling for potential allergens including, inter alia, fish, milk and egg products. The WWTG industry group recommends that any such labeling must be based on sound science. To date the scientific community has no evidence on the allergenic affects of these products in wine. Australia is currently undertaking extensive research in this area. Therefore, the WWTG industry group urges the WWTG governments to take full account of the scientific findings, expected within 12 months, in formulating or revising their labeling regulations in this area. I anticipate that the Tax and Trade Bureau, in consultation with the FDA, will take the results of this international research into account in determining whether additional regulations requiring allergen labeling would be appropriate for wine and other alcoholic beverages. Among other things, the Tax and Trade Bureau should evaluate whether any such regulation would create an inadvertent international trade barrier. In this regard, I would like to work with the Chairman and Ranking Member, as well as the author of this bill, to ensure there are no unintended consequences resulting from this legislation.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Jack W. Schnoor as the Madera Chamber of Commerce and Madera County Farm Bureau Senior Farmer of the Year. Mr. Schnoor will be recognized at the Madera County Farm Bureau's 83rd Annual Members' Meeting and Senior Farmer Presentation on July 22nd in Madera, California. Mr. Schnoor's dedication to his country and his strong work ethic have brought much success for him and his family. Born in 1932, he has contributed 49 years to Madera County agriculture. Mr. Schnoor farms over 3,000 acres. His crops include almonds, cotton, corn, alfalfa, barley, wheat, oats, grapes, tomatoes, and potatoes. He has been named as an FFA Honorary Chapter Farmer and from 1988-1996, was awarded as the National Corn Grower Association's Corn Yield winner. A proud member of many organizations and the recipient of several awards, Jack Schnoor served as President and Clerk Trustee of Chowchilla High School from 1976-88, Trustee for Merced College, Treasurer for Chowchilla High School and is a member of the Rotary and the 20-30 Club, and served on the Madera County Grand Jury. In farming, he has dedicated himself to the industry by having acted as a member of the Board of Directors of Federal Lank Bank for 8 years and served as President. He is a member of the Madera County Farm Bureau and the National Corn Growers Association. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Jack W. Schnoor for being named Senior Farmer of the Year by the Madera Chamber of Commerce and Madera County Farm Bureau. His contributions to America's agriculture communities have been invaluable. I invite my colleagues to join me in commending Mr. Schnoor for this achievement.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Daulton Ranch on the occasion of their 150th anniversary. The Daulton Ranch was the first and is the longest standing cattle operation in Madera County, California. Henry Clay Daulton, the son of a soldier in the War of 1812, and the grandson of a Revolutionary War soldier, left Missouri for California during the Gold Rush of 1849. Together, in 1854 Henry Clay and his wife Mary Jane created Daulton Ranch out of a small piece of property at the north end of then Fresno County that grew to over 17,000 acres in what is today Madera County. Along the way Daulton Ranch, which began as a sheep and cattle operation, gradually became a cattle only operation and today is renowned for its choice Hereford cattle. Henry Clay Daulton was not only an asset to his community as a rancher, but also as a civil servant. Mr. Daulton served as Chairman of the Fresno County Board of Supervisors and under his leadership Fresno County grew and prospered. Later, Mr. Daulton spearheaded the movement to create a new county out of a northern section of Fresno County which became and is today Madera County. Today, Daulton Ranch continues its vibrant legacy under the stewardship of Henry Clay Daulton III and his wife Dusty. They are as much a value to the community as the long family line that came before them. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the Daulton Ranch on the occasion of its 150th anniversary celebration. I invite my colleagues to join me in honoring the Daulton Ranch and wishing the Daulton family many more years of continued success.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, first of all, I like to call this bill ``the good neighbor act'' even though its real name is the Gateway Communities Cooperation Act. The purpose of the bill is to make certain that small communities located just outside the Federal properties have input in the Federal land planning processes. This measure is critical to many of my constituents and important for numerous small communities throughout the country that are impacted by the Federal land management decisions. Many times they are the ones that provide solutions to Federal management problems. As someone who represents several small towns located just outside Yosemite National Park and near the Stanislaus and Sierra National forests, I know that too often these communities are left out of the process. This bill ensures that communities serving as gateways to our Nation's Federal lands, including Park Service and Forest Service properties, have a voice in that process. Gateway communities can greatly benefit or be severely harmed by the decisions of Federal land managers, so it is critical that their views are heard before land managers make final decisions. That is why H.R. 1014 encourages a more open discussion between Federal agencies and local communities. Additionally, this bill makes grants available to qualified gateway communities to provide technical assistance to local communities, allowing them to more readily participate in the Federal land planning process. For these reasons, I encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 1014.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, in California, wine is for drinking and water is for fighting. The gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert) and the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Napolitano) have done a Herculean job task of putting together all the interests in California in a water bill that is supported by just about every interest group out there, and that was an incredible task. That is why I am a proud co-sponsor and supporter of H.R. 2828. The central valley of California comprises the largest agriculture producing county in the Nation, where over 250 of California's crops are grown. With its fertile soil and temperate climate, the valley produces 8 percent of the ag output of the United States on less than 1 percent of the Nation's total farmland. Valley farmers alone grow nearly half the fresh fruits and vegetables grown in the entire Nation. The most fundamental challenge facing California's Central Valley is assuring adequate long term supplies of water to meet the demands of the agriculture, environmental and urban water needs. A dependable and affordable water supply is necessary to meet the long term needs of the State. The key to providing this water supply is adequate storage facilities to hold water in times of surplus for use during water shortages. With H.R. 2828, California will have a more reliable and efficient water supply, and water throughout the west will be more stable because California will have the tools necessary to provide for its own water. Specifically, among other projects, H.R. 2828 allows for the continued storage studies in the Upper San Joaquin River and will provide critical water storage in the region that I represent. The legislation also makes progress towards balance in CALFED Bay Delta program by underscoring the need for new surface storage facilities, as well as ensuring improved water quality and providing continued support for ecosystem restoration activities. There are a few provisions which I would like to clarify in the Record if I may. The first of these pertains to CALFED fees. H.R. 2828 sanctions the principle of beneficiary pays, and I support this standard. This means exactly what it says. Those who benefit from a CALFED project or program should pay for what they receive. It also means that those who do not benefit from CALFED programs and projects should not have to pay for the fees. The legislation does not authorize or impose water diversion fees, charges or taxes on CALFED beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries. Such charges go against the beneficiaries pay principle of this bill and the CALFED record of decision, and this is the clear intention of the House Committee on Resources when it reported H.R. 2828. The second issue I would like to clarify is the new program to meet standards which was created to give added flexibility to the Secretary of the Interior to meet existing water quality standard in the Delta. For the record, I wanted to state that nothing in H.R. 2828 requires water users in the San Joaquin River and its tributaries to provide more water or more money than they are currently providing to meet existing water quality standards and fishery objectives. Nothing in the legislation authorizes the Secretary to make involuntary acquisitions of water from the central valley project contractors or water rights holders on the tributaries of the San Joaquin. Finally, nothing in the bill gives the program to meet standards a higher priority to receive funding for the restoration fund than existing programs and projects supported by the fund. With that, Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support the passage of H.R. 2828.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize David Grant posthumously for his heroism and years of service to his community. Dave recently passed away on Monday, May 29, 2004. David was known for his extraordinary work as a law enforcement officer with a knack for defusing tense, often dangerous, situations. He was a 15-year veteran of the Tuolumne County Sheriff's Department and had worked in law enforcement for a total of 26 years. A Sonora resident and Tuolumne County native, Dave grew up in Tuolumne County and graduated from Sonora High School. In 1978, he embarked on a career in law enforcement with the Sonora Police Department where he served as a traffic officer and driving instructor. Three years later, Dave joined the Oceanside Police Department where he served for 8 years. He worked as a patrol officer and then served as a motor officer where he helped new officers hone their motorcycle driving skills. In 1989, Dave returned to Tuolumne County and joined the Sheriff's Department. He worked various assignments including patrol, investigations, narcotics, coroner, hostage negotiation, and was coordinator for the department's search-and-rescue team. He is survived by his wife Richie Grant and his four children. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize David Grant for his remarkable service to his community. I invite my colleagues to join me in honoring him posthumously for his commitment to bettering this world through valiant service, touching lives both in the Central Valley of California and the law enforcement community statewide.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Wawona Hotel on the occasion of their 125th anniversary. The Wawona Hotel in Yosemite National Park is acclaimed for its nostalgic charm, historic authenticity and picturesque setting. In 1855, Galen Clark, a miner who worked in the area Gold Camps, passed through the Wawona Valley area with tourists bound for Yosemite. Entranced by the beauty of the place, Clark constructed lodging near the main trail into Yosemite Valley, making it inevitable that travelers would stop along the way. In 1878, a kitchen fire destroyed all of Clark's buildings and the entire establishment was rebuilt in 1879. Today, The Wawona Hotel is operated by Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts at Yosemite and remains one of the most respected mountain resorts. Its historic wooden buildings, verandas overlooking sprawling green lawns and Victorian interiors continue to provide visitors with a perfect setting for a relaxing vacation. The Wawona Hotel is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, and this year became a member of the National Trust Historic Hotels of America, a collection of hotels selected by the National Trust for Historic Preservation for historic integrity, architectural quality, outstanding preservation efforts, and stewardship. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the Wawona Hotel on the occasion of their 125th anniversary celebration. I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring the Wawona Hotel and wishing DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite many more years of continued success.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Chairman, nobody drives a snowmobile to go to Yosemite. We live in the West under 4,000 feet elevation. We do not get much snow in the wintertime. I am sure they could drive one but it would be kind of stupid.

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Chairman, people do not use snowmobiles to get into Yosemite National Park as they would in Yellowstone National Park. They do not use snowmobilies to access Yosemite. I mean it is not a way one gets in there because it is not the only way that one can get there in the wintertime.