George Radanovich

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Lisa Mendosa. Lisa Mendosa, an accomplish woman of the '90s, has added the title of Community Relations Coordinator for Borders Books to her credit. Having worked in numerous fields, Lisa Mendosa is in many respects, considered a renaissance woman. Lisa Mendosa has had an impressive career, and still has much of her life ahead of her. In 1987, she was named one of America's top 100 women in Communications/Hispanic USA. In the same year she also won an award in the Associated Press television-radio competition. In 1989, she was named one of America's top 100 junior college graduates. In 1995, Lisa Mendosa received an Emmy Award for her coverage of the Leer Jet crash in Fresno. She was one of the first peoples to be given an Emmy Award for broadcasting. Lisa Mendosa has also published a number of books on animals and children. She has a great love for animals and has raised two dogs from the age of eight weeks and studied their development for more than 8 years. Lisa Mendosa spent 17 years working in TV news researching, writing, producing and presenting thousands of news stories. At Channel 24, Lisa went from management to being a producer. After winning her Emmy, Lisa was offered a position by Channel 30, which she took. Currently, she is a Community Relations Coordinator for Borders Books. Today, she works harder than ever to establish a close community relationship with the Borders Books staff. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I pay tribute to Lisa Mendosa. Already being an accomplished woman of the '90's and considered a renaissance woman, Lisa Mendosa continues to be dedicated to her work. Her dedication and exemplary efforts should serve as an inspiration to all. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Lisa Mendosa continued success for the future.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Bob Houlding Sr., for being recognized as the recipient of the 1998 Senior Farmer of the year award. Mr. Houlding has been providing dedicated services to the agricultural community for Madera County since the 1920's and is very deserving of this honor. Mr. Houlding family's connection to Madera goes back to the 1800's. Bob Houlding Sr. is the son of William and Ludema Houlding. William Houlding came with his family from Nebraska to Madera in 1891. Bob Houlding Sr.'s brothers are Frank, Bill and Vigil, and his sister Ludema (Houlding) Weis. Mr. Houlding started school in 1922 at Howard School, the year it was built, and graduated from Madera High School in 1934. In 1939, Bob Sr. joined the Air Force to serve his country, staying in until 1946. He initially signed up for a 3-year hitch, but just as his first tour was nearing its end, World War II broke out and he continued to serve. In the Air Force he worked as an engineer, repairing B-24s and B-29s in the 21st Bomb Squadron and serving in places such as New Orleans, La.; Riverside Ca.; Kansas; and the Aleutian Islands. In 1942 he married Mildred Sonier. After marrying, the couple raised three sons, Bob Jr., Jerry and Mike. Mr. Houlding continued to farm once he returned to Madera, growing cotton, alfalfa, wheat and potatoes. As the years passed, Bob Houlding Sr. got his sons involved, and now together they own 3,500 acres in Madera and on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley. His grandchildren and their spouses are also involved in the farming. All of the grandchildren are graduates, current students, or have aspirations of attending Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Mr. Houlding began by farming row crops, but since 1976, has moved into growing tomatoes, cotton, wheat and almonds on the west side of Madera and Fresno County. Mr. Houlding's action plan for farming has always been to diversify the kinds of crops he grows and to use modern farming techniques as micro-sprinklers. Mr. Houlding has been a great proponent of reduced pesticide usage through the introduction of predator insects and water conservation through the installation of drip and sprinkler irrigation systems. Mr. Houlding has always been supportive to his community and youth in agriculture. He was a member of the board of directors of the Golden State Gin, a member of the Trade Club, and a charter member of the Reel and Gun Club. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I congratulate Bob Houlding Sr. for receiving the Senior Farmer 1998 Award for Madera County. I applaud Mr. Houlding's dedicated services and leadership to the agricultural community. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Mr. Houlding many more years of success.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. I appreciate the clarification, Mr. Chairman, and look forward to working with the gentleman and all the members of the committee next year in seeking full funding for AQI in the next fiscal year.

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Chairman, I seek to enter into a colloquy with my chairman, the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Skeen). Mr. Chairman, I would like to take just a moment to address the issue of funding for the Agriculture Quarantine Inspection Program that prevents the entry of exotic animals and pests into the United States. Funding for AQI is of great importance to my district, which includes the two largest agriculture producing counties in the Nation. As we know, the authorized funding level for AQI is $100 million. However, the FY 1999 appropriation for the program was set at $88 million. Does that mean that the committee believes that the annual appropriation for AQI should only be at $88 million per fiscal year?

Mr. RADANOVICH. I yield to the gentleman from New Mexico.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Fresno Businesswoman Cathy Frost, owner of Bennett Frost Personnel Services, for her efforts and success in the business arena. Cathy Frost's business has grown to be one of the most successful and thriving personnel services in Fresno. Cathy Frost was born in Selma, California in 1946. She is married to Robert Frost and has two children, Brian and Kevin. Cathy Frost received a Bachelor of Arts degree from San Jose State College. Bennett Frost Personnel Services is a successful business that began with only three employees and has now grown to 19. Mrs. Frost's interest in making a difference in the community has landed her the distinction of becoming the first woman president of the Fresno Metropolitan Museum. Other activities include serving as the vice-chair of the New United Way campaign and chair of the search committee for an executive director for the same organization. Cathy Frost is also a member of The Business Council, the Human Resource Association and the YMCA search committee for an executive director. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I pay tribute to Cathy Frost for her efforts and success in the business arena. It is the leadership and care exhibited by Mrs. Frost that should serve as a role model for business owners all over America. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Cathy Frost many years of success.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 242, I was inadvertently detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.'' personal explanation

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Fresno County Sheriff Steve Magarian. Sheriff Magarian has been an inspirational role model to the law enforcement here in the 19th Congressional District. As Chief Executive Officer for the County of Fresno Sheriff's Department, Sheriff Magarian leads, directs and manages a highly sophisticated, diversified and complex organization. Operating throughout a 6,000-square mile area, he holds responsibility for meeting the needs of residents throughout Fresno County, with an annual Department budget in excess of 560 million dollars and personnel of approximately 1,000. In his vital role, Sheriff Magarian has earned the public's trust, confidence, and support. Through his hard work, he established the department's primary mission. It is a mission that upholds fairness, justice and responsiveness to public needs and feelings while enforcing the law and protecting life and property. Sheriff Magarian's leadership has guided the efforts and demeanor of the Department to conform with the high standards expected by the public. In administering the Patrol, Detective, Jail and Administrative divisions, his underlying commitment is to maintain the integrity of the constitutional rights as established by the framers of our Constitution. Sheriff Margarian graduated from California State University, Fresno in 1972. In 1974 he received his Masters Degree in Criminology with distinction. Sheriff Magarian has worked hard in the law enforcement arena. He created and implemented a county-wide narcotic suppression program through acquisition of a $500,000 state grant. This grant has been increased to $900,000 and approved for its eight consecutive year. He also developed a highly successful Tactical Unit within the Patrol Division which targeted property crimes and arrested dozens of criminals. At a cost of only $35,000, this Unit successfully recovered several hundred thousand dollars in stolen property and returned property to its legal owners. As noted above these are just some of the contributions Mr. Magarian has accomplished. Sheriff Magarian's 30-year career with Fresno County Sheriff's Department has been marked by significant law enforcement and management experience. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to have Sheriff Magarian as a law enforcement in the 19th Congressional District. I congratulate him on his lifetime of accomplishments and ask my colleagues to join me in wishing him every success on his future endeavors.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to welcome Armen Melkonian, Consul General of the Republic of Armenia, to the 19th Congressional District of California. The Central Valley holds a large portion of the Armenian community in America and is rich in Armenian culture and history. Thus Consul General Melkonian's leadership in Armenia has provided a great deal of inspiration to the Armenians in the Central Valley. Armen Melkonian was born in Yeravan, Armenia in 1958. He is married to Yevkenya Melkonian and has two children, Ashod and Ani. Armen Melkonian graduated from Yerevan State University, Faculty of Near Eastern Studies Arabic Division in 1980. Armen received his Ph.D. in the Eastern Studies Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia. From 1982-1984 Armen Melkonian served as an Arabic language translator in South Yemen. He served as a Soviet Army Lieutenant from 1986 to 1988. Following his commitment as a Lieutenant, he lectured in the Eastern Studies Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia in the division of Arab countries. Armen lectured as part of the Eastern Studies of Yerevan State University in the beginning of 1991. He served as an aid to the President of the Republic of Armenia from 1992-1994. At the beginning of 1994, he was in the foreign ministry of the Republic of Armenia. Being the first secretary of Arab countries division, led him to becoming the ambassador in Cairo, Egypt from 1994-1997. From 1997-1998 he was the administrator for the foreign ministry's Middle Eastern countries division of the Republic of Armenia. Currently he is the Consul General of the Republic of Armenia in Los Angeles. Armen Melkonian is the author of numerous articles in scholarly journals and various publications. He has participated in various symposiums all over the world. In 1990, his paper ``Armenian Medieval Resources about Arab Caliphates'' earned him a degree in Historical Sciences. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I welcome Armen Melkonian to the 19th Congressional District of California. His leadership has been an inspiration to the Armenian community. I ask my colleagues to join me in welcoming Armen Melkonian to the United States and to the 19th Congressional District of California.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Ed Vegely and Lloyd Hobby upon their retirement from Mariposa County High School. Ed and Lloyd have provided many years of dedicated instruction and coaching to the students of Mariposa County High School in Mariposa, California. I commend these exceptional educators for their dedication and commitment to our youth. Ed Vegely has been teaching the youth of Mariposa County High School since 1965. He was born on December 28, 1936. Ed attended Merced High School, Modesto Junior College, and eventually completed his higher education at California State University, Fresno. He has been recognized as the Mariposa County High School ``Teacher of the Year'' three times. Ed served as the Mariposa County High School varsity football coach from 1965-1981. During that 16 year period, Ed Vegely was able to achieve a record of 95 wins, 56 losses, and five ties, and has taken the team to five league championships. He not only provided an exceptional service as a varsity football coach, but also served as the varsity basketball coach in 1966 and 1970-1996. During this time as the Mariposa County High basketball coach, he achieved a record of 366 wins, 288 losses, and 13 ties, taking the team to six league championships. Lloyd Hobby has been providing exceptional instruction to the students of Mariposa County High School since 1964. Lloyd attended Sonora High School and completed his higher education at Sacramento State University. He has served as the Mariposa High Varsity basketball coach for 30 years. During his time as the varsity basketball coach, he has achieved a record of 475 wins and 298 losses, taking the team to nine league championships. Lloyd is a four-time Mariposa County High School ``Teacher of the Year'' recipient and was recognized as the ``Athletic Director of the Year'' for the entire state of California in 1996. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I pay tribute to Ed Vegely and Lloyd Hobby upon their retirement from Mariposa County High School. Ed and Lloyd have both exhibited a dedication and care for the education and instruction of our youth. I applaud their many achievements and ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Ed Vegely and Lloyd Hobby the best of luck with any future endeavors.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Clovis Unified School District's Mickey Cox Elementary School for being recognized as a ``California Distinguished School.'' Mickey Cox Elementary has educated students with great success over the years and has served as a tremendous catalyst to the community. The faculty and students of Mickey Cox Elementary exemplify excellence in student achievement and are very deserving of this recognition. At its inception, in 1980, Mickey Cox was built by the Clovis Unified School District in an outlying rural area in the northern section of Clovis. From the outset, Mickey Cox came together as a school community with a definite vision rooted in a district philosophy and goals. The foundation of Mickey Cox lies within the concept of being a community-centered school. The strength of their community lies within its diversity--socially, economically and ethnically. Mickey Cox enjoys an unusually high degree of volunteer support from the community. Parents are encouraged and feel comfortable in participating as classroom helpers and participants in a variety of school activities. The community helps to provide the financial support to sustain the curricular activities offered by the school. Community expectations for high academic standards, co-curricular participation and traditional values have been framed within the context of a caring community. All members of the school community work toward developing sustained achievement and social development in their students. Mickey Cox prepares all students for the challenges of the 21st century by developing confidence and skills in critical thinking through participation in a wide range of goal-oriented experiences. The concept of nurturing the whole child is emphasized through monthly award assemblies of selected students who demonstrate strength in mind, body and spirit. They believe student recongition is essential in helping students strive toward mastery of academic, physical, and social-emotional development. The school motto is: ``If it's to be, it's up to me.'' Mickey Cox maintains a rich tradition of recognizing student achievement and school involvement deemed important by the entire community. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I congratulate Clovis Unified School District's Mickey Cox Elementary School for being recognized as a ``California Distinguished School.'' I applaud both the school and the community for their commitment to our children's lives. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Mickey Cox Elementary many more years of success.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Clovis Unified School District's Liberty Elementary School for being recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School. Liberty Elementary is one of 263 elementary schools across the nation to be named a Blue Ribbon school. To receive this award, Liberty Elementary had to be recognized as a California Distinguished School and then pass a rigorous screening and two-day site visitation. The faculty and students of Liberty Elementary exemplify excellence in student achievement and are very deserving of this recognition. A Blue Ribbon Award Ceremony was held in Washington D.C. on November 7, 1997 where representatives from Liberty Elementary were honored by the U.S. Department of Education and received a special plaque and flag in recognition of this achievement. Each of the schools were evaluated on outcome measures and conditions of effective schooling, such as leadership, teaching environment, curriculum and instruction, student environment, parent and community support, and organizational vitality. Recommendations on which schools best meet the Blue Ribbon criteria are made to the Secretary of Education by a national panel of distinguished educators and other prominent private citizens. Liberty Elementary is located in the northeast area of Fresno in one of the fastest growing communities in the Clovis Unified School District. The school mission is to provide a comprehensive, quality education to the Sparthenian concept--``be the best you can be'' in mind, body and spirit. Liberty Elementary has over 700 Students in grades K-6. The student body is composed of 75.1% Caucasian, 10.8% Hispanic, 8.0% Asian, 3.0% black, 1.6% Filipino, and 1.6% American Indian Students. Goals of the school include: (1) earning ``superior'' ratings in all curricular, co- curricular, and school climate categories of the Clovis Assessment System for Sustained Improvement (CLASSI); (2) implementing a literature-based language arts program; (3) implementing a well-rounded science program utilizing alternative assessment strategies; (4) using team planning at each grade level to promote the concept of a ``thinking'' curriculum; (5) expanding the concept of technology stations into the classroom; (6) continuing to implement a student assistance program; (7) continuing to develop the philosophy of GoalSharing; and (8) promoting a school environment which fosters the development of character traits that lead to responsible, contributing membership in society. After receiving the California Distinguished School Award, Liberty students soared to new heights in both academic achievement and co- curricular involvement. Liberty received the highest score in the Clovis West Area on the district's accountability model and earned the CUSD Exemplary School Award. Recognition such as this only comes about through extraordinary efforts of the community, the faculty, and the student body. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I congratulate Clovis Unified School District's Liberty Elementary. The students and faculty of this school exemplify a care for the community and a dedication to hard work that has gained them national recognition. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Liberty Elementary many more years of success.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Fresno State University Women's Softball Team on their 1998 NCAA Women's College World Series victory. The win gave Fresno State its first National Championship in any sport. The Fresno State Women's Softball Team has exhibited the dedication and hard work that it takes to become world renown athletes. I applaud the perseverance of both the team and the coaches. They are all well deserving of this recognition. Mr. Speaker, I ask that the following individuals of the Fresno State Women's Softball Team be entered into the Congressional Record: Laura Berg, Center field; Candice Bowlin, outfield; Kara Campbell, outfield; Angela Cervantez, 1st and 3rd base; Alica Dowland, short stop; Jennifer Jokinen, Left field; Nina Lindenberg, 2nd base; Jaime Maxey, 1st and 3rd base; Lindsay Parker, right handed pitcher; Kim Peck, Left handed pitcher; Amanda Scott, right handed pitcher/outfielder, Jennifer Slaney, Catcher; Janna Todd, Catcher/DP; Vanessa Valenzuela, 1st base; Amber Wall, Catcher; Carolyn Wilson, Catcher/DP; Daviana Wisener, Outfield; Becky Witt, Outfield, and Margie Wright, Coach. In the final game of the NCAA Women's College World Series on Monday, May 25, 1998, Nina Lindenberg's home run provided all the scoring as pitcher Amanda Scott limited the Arizona Wildcats to three singles. The victory ended a 29 game winning streak for Arizona, who had won the National title the previous two years. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I congratulate the Fresno State University Women's Softball Team for their 1998 NCAA Women's College World Series victory. Their commitment and dedication should serve as a model for athletes the world over. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing the Fresno State Women's Softball Team many more years of success.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise to day to congratulate Kuckenbecker Tractor of Madera, Boys and Girls Clubs of Fresno County, Bank of the Sierra of Porterville, Community Health System of Fresno, Duncan Enterprises of Fresno, Valley Public Television of Fresno, Denham Personnel Services of Fresno, Sherwood Lehman Massucco, Inc., Pearson Reality of Fresno, Gottschalks Inc. of Fresno, and Hall of Fame winner, Marilyn Hamilton of Fresno for being honored by the Fresno Bee with the Excellence in Business Award. For the third year now, The Fresno Bee is recognizing some of the most respected names in business in the San Joaquin Valley. The businesses selected were chosen because of setting trends and serving customers unlike any other business. The winners were also recognized for success, growth, and setting high ethical and community standards. The judges for this event include Fresno Business people, a retired school principle, a member of the Kings County Board of supervisors and other selected community leaders. Kuckenbecker Tractor of Madera is a family owned business that started in 1945. Richard Kuckenbecker took the small company that employed six people in Madera in 1961 and expanded it into a two-store operation in both Fresno and Madera that employs 40 people and generates $8 million in revenue. The boys and Girls Clubs of Fresno County is a charitable organization that has a staff and volunteers who work with thousands of children each year. The organization is instrumental in providing educational, social and cultural reinforcement for children. in 1977, Bank of the Sierra, Porterville was started with a single branch in Porterville by 17 Tulare County residents. It hosted 11 employees and garnered $1.5 million in assets. Today, it has grown into the largest Valley-based bank with nearly $387 million in assets and more than 230 employees with nine branches and eight specialty credit centers. Community Health Systemso Fresno is a $400 million-a-year organization that employs more than 4,700 people and has a medical staff of more than 1,100 physicians. Its chief executive officer is Dr. J. Philip Hinton. Duncan Enterprises of Fresno makes paint and other items for hobbyists. The company expects a 37 percent growth in sales this fiscal year. Duncan Enterprises has been a fixture in Fresno for many years. The company brought the assets of a Massachusetts company and planned to move its operations to Fresno over six months. It worked with the production employees of the company to allow them to stay employed during the phase-out of the operation, while also coordinating training for them in resume writing and interviewing skills. Valley Public Television of Fresno has operated the San Joaquin Valley's only public television station from its Fresno studios since 1977. It has continued over the years to provide services and programs to meet the diverse demands of the changing community. Colin Dougherty serves as the general manager and executive director of the station. Denham Personnel Services of Fresno was founded 28 years ago by B. G. ``Bud'' and Jean Denham. It started off as a single office and has grown to include offices in Madera and Selma and a full-time staff of 14. On every working day of the year, an estimated 200-300 people in the Valley get up and go to work because they have been placed in jobs by Denham Personnel Services. Sherwood Lehman Massucco, Inc. of Fresno is an executive search firm that has been finding top management talent for companies located in Central California since 1978. The firm believes in recruiting locally if possible, but has extensive experience in nationwide searches when the best candidate is not available in the Valley. Pearson Realty of Fresno was founded in 1919 and has become one of the largest independently owned commercial real estate firms in the Valley. Its farm division is the largest in California and possibly the nation. The company pays a portion of net profit back to employees in the form of bonuses. Gottschalks, Inc. of Fresno was founded in 1903 in downtown Fresno by Emil Gottschalk. The regional retailer has grown to 37 department stores and 22 specialty stores employing more than 5,500 people at sites in California, Nevada, Washington and Oregon. It is the only Central Valley-based company traded on the New York Stock Exchange, going public in 1986. Hall of Fame winner, Marilyn Hamilton of Fresno had a sudden turn of events in her life almost 20 years ago when she became paralyzed in a hang-gliding accident. Frustrated by the clunky design of her wheelchair, Hamilton and two hangglider friends built their own lightweight chairs. They formed Motion Designs, which was bought by Sunrise Medical in 1986. Hamilton is now vice president of consumer development at Sunrise, and the Quickie wheelchair she designed has become an industry leader. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I congratulate these fine businesses and business leaders in the community. These exceptional businesses and business leaders were honored for their unique contributions to the business community and exemplary business skills. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Kuckenbecker Tractor of Madera, Boys and Girls Clubs of Fresno County, Bank of the Sierra of Porterville, Community Health System of Fresno, Duncan Enterprises of Fresno, Valley Public Television of Fresno, Denham Personnel Services of Fresno, Sherwood Lehman Massucco, Inc., Pearson Reality of Fresno, Gottschalks Inc. of Fresno, and Hall of Fame winner, Marilyn Hamilton of Fresno many more years of continued success.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Sergeant Harvey Tomlinson for providing 30 years of meritious law enforcement service to the community. Sergeant Harvey Tomlinson is retiring May 27, 1998. Sergeant Tomlinson has saved 15 lives in his career and is respectfully deserving of this honor. Sergeant Tomlinson started his career by volunteering for the Mariposa County Sheriff's Posse in 1968. He was hired as a deputy by Mariposa County in 1969 and later attained the position of undersheriff before leaving the department in 1975. He then joined the Madera County Sheriff's Department where he became promoted to sergeant in 1981. Sergeant Tomlinson served as the coordinator for both the Search & Rescue and the Posse, and has served in these departments up until his retirement. During his career, Mr. Tomlinson worked in the Madera County Jail, served as a patrolman, served as a detective, served as a detective sergeant, and for all but two summers, was in charge of boating operations on Bass Lake. The highlights of his career are his Search & Rescue accomplishments. He directed and executed over 500 missions, directly saving 15 lives by his actions. Additionally, he has located and helped more than 900 people who have been lost or injured. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I pay tribute to Sergeant Harvey Tomlinson. Sergeant Tomlinson's accomplishments in law enforcement and devotion to saving lives should serve as a model for anyone interested in a career in law enforcement. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Sergeant Harvey Tomlinson continued success with any future endeavors.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Spreckels Sugar Company as they celebrate their centennial anniversary. The Spreckels family has created an important sugar company with the kind of hard work and determination it takes to succeed in the business world. This family-owned business has made a tremendous impact on both the business and agricultural community. Their efforts in the sugar industry, combined with years of exceptional service, make the Spreckels Sugar Company deserving of this recognition. Sugar and sugar beet history run deep in the annals of California. The first successful sugar beet processing plant in California was built in 1870 in Alvarado. The second plant was built in Watsonville in 1888. The Watsonville plant was eventually dismantled and became part of the world's largest beet processing plant of its time. This plant, built by Claus Spreckels, was the beginning of Spreckels Sugar Company. The plant was built in the town bearing the Spreckels' family name in the fertile Salinas Valley. Claus Spreckels died nine years after the opening of the Spreckels factory. At this point his sons, John D. and A.B. Spreckels, took the reins of the company. They followed in the footsteps of their father and planned the expansion of the Spreckels Sugar Company to meet the sugar requirements of California's rapidly growing population. In time, they expanded to sell sugar to both the East and West Coasts. The Mendota plant, where Spreckels' 100-year celebration is being held, was the past plant built in California, in 1963. Historically, the Mendota factory has operated from the time fields dried in the spring (March or April) until the ``spring crop'' is harvested. Following a short shutdown in June, the factory is restarted in July and March through October without a shutdown, producing over 2,000,000 cwt. sugar per year, processing approximately 735,000 tons of sugar beets. The San Joaquin Valley has been the primary source of the Mendota factory's beet supply, with this exception of several occasions when beets were shipped by rail from the Imperial Valley. Additionally, the San Joaquin Valley has been the source of beets for the other California Spreckels factories during the summer months. Millions of tons of beets have been shipped over the years by rail and truck to Spreckels, California (near Salinas), Manteca, and Woodland and to this day are still being shipped to Tracy and Woodland. In January 1996, Spreckels Sugar Company was purchased by Imperial Holly Corporation. The Woodland, Tracy, Mendota, and Brawley plants in California are now part of the Imperial Holly family and are known as Spreckels Sugar Company, a division of Holly Sugar Corporation. Imperial's purchase of Savannah Sugar in October of last year makes Spreckels a part of the largest sugar refiner, processor, and marketer in the United States. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I congratulate Spreckels Sugar Company as they celebrate their centennial anniversary. I applaud their years of exceptional service and commitment to the Sugar Beet industry. Spreckels shows just how successful a small family owned business can become with hard work and determination. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing the Spreckels Sugar Company many more years of success.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise with the sad duty of informing you that America has lost an honored journalist, a warm friend and a great family man. Jack McDowell, whose storied career included winning a Pulitzer Prize for the now-defunct San Francisco Call-Bulletin, serving as political editor and columnist for the San Francisco Examiner and culminating with 26 years as partner in the highly successful political consulting firm Woodward & McDowell, has died at this home in Atherton. He was 84. Born in Alameda to the founder and publisher of the Alameda Times- Star, McDowell quite literally had journalism in his blood. As a boy he snuck out of camp to make a lone trek through the Sierra snow to file a report from the ranger's station about how his Alameda boy scout troop was marooned by a freak springtime storm. After attending what is now San Jose State University during Prohibition, McDowell went on to become managing editor and co-owner with his brother, W. Clifford McDowell, of the Eugene (Ore.) Daily News and Turlock Daily Journal. In 1942 he was hired as a reporter for the Call-Bulletin. Three years later his story about the new process of donating blood that followed a donor's pint into the Pacific Theater of World War II and into the soldier who received the transfusion was awarded the Pulitzer Prize. As his career progressed to writing a daily column, ``Memo from Mac'' and on to city editor of the Call-Bulletin, McDowell's noteworthy stories included confronting a wanted killer on the streets of San Francisco and taking the suspect back to the city room for an exclusive interview before turning him over to the police. It was during the eras of Governors Goodwin Knight, ``Pat'' Brown and Ronald Reagan that McDowell served as political editor and columnist for the San Francisco Examiner. He was recognized as the dean of the capitol press corps and was often found at his ``unofficial'' office, the renowned gathering spot for California politicos, Frank Fat's. After a learning period under the wing of famed California political consultants Stuart Spencer and Bill Roberts and serving as Statewide News Director of Governor Ronald Reagan's re-election campaign, McDowell and partner Richard Woodward, formed the firm Woodward & McDowell in 1971. They successfully guided former San Francisco State University President S.I. Hayakawa to a seat in the United States Senate and went on to run some of the most controversial ballot measure campaigns in California, winning more than 95% of the time. McDowell earned the firm a reputation for honesty, credibility and journalistic standards that are a hallmark of the industry. Mr. Speaker, with the loss of Jack McDowell we have lost a man for whom the standard was excellence, and nothing less. He will be sorely missed by his loving family, his colleagues at Woodward & McDowell and the many others who knew him as a man not only with a story to tell, but the best way to tell it.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Jack V. Pandol for being honored with the Boy Scouts of America Southern Sierra Council's Great American Award. This is one of the highest awards given by the Boy Scouts and is only the fourth in the 86-year history of the local Scout Council. As a man who has made lasting contributions to his community and country, Jack is very deserving of this award. Jack Pandol began his service in the United States Army 25th Infantry Division during World War II. He fought in the Philippines and Japan and received the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and Combat Infantry Badge for his distinguished service. Jack V. Pandol is of Croatian descent and has been a Delano based farmer since 1941. In 1948, Jack and his two brothers purchased 400 acres of land from their parents. Today, this family owned farming operation has grown to over 6,000 acres of land in Kern and Tulare counties. He began as a grape grower, but soon branched out to become a grower, marketer, exporter, and importer. Jack is currently the President of Pandol Brothers, Inc. National and International Sales, and a partner in Pandol & Sons Farming. The Pandol firm currently does business in over thirty countries, representing growers from Washington state to South America and as far away as China. Jack has been instrumental in the opening of foreign markets for international trade in Europe, the Orient and South America. He is known for his innovations in ``barter'' trade, fresh produce marketing, and general agriculture. Jack has received many awards for his work in the farming and shipping industries, and has served in many distinguished positions. Among these are Director of California Pacific Corporation, Advisory Board Member for the U.S. Department of Agriculture for Fruit and Vegetables, Member of the California Export Finance Board, Advisory Board Member for the U.S. Maritime Commission, President of Delano Grape Products, Vice President of the Rag Gulch Water District, and President of the California Grape and Tree Fruit League. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I congratulate Jack V. Pandol for being honored with the Boy Scouts of America Southern Sierra Council's Great American Award. Jack Pandol is an exceptional patriot whose contributions to agriculture have made a prominent impact in his community and beyond. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Jack V. Pandol many more years of success.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Pastor G.L. Johnson, Senior Pastor of the Peoples Church of Fresno, California. Pastor Johnson is celebrating 35 years of exceptional religious service at the Peoples Church of Fresno. G.L. Johnson was born in Houston, Texas on February 24, 1928. In 1950, G.L. Johnson married Jacqueline (Jackie) Cockerell, and in 1953 they had their only daughter Cindy. Pastor Johnson attended Navarro Junior College of Corsicana, Texas; Southwestern Assembly of God College of Waxahachie, Texas; and Mennonite Biblical Seminary of Fresno, California. He was ordained in Fort Worth, Texas in 1951. In the Ministry, Pastor Johnson served as Youth Minister throughout the United States from 1946-1952. He served as a pastor in Corsicana, Texas from 1951-1953 and served as a Statewide Evangelist from 1953- 1957. G.L. Johnson moved on to serve as a Pastor in Owensboro, Kentucky from 1957-1958 and then in Tallahassee, Florida from 1958-1961. He was the Associate Director of a Latin American Orphanage from 1961-1963. G.L. Johnson currently serves as Senior Pastor at the Peoples Church of Fresno where he has been serving since 1963. Some of the many awards and recognition that Pastor Johnson has received include the Distinguished Service Award from the City of Fresno, acting as Mayor of Fresno for the Day in 1973 and 1987, and being recognized as a Distinguished Minister by the California Theological Seminary Hall. He received the P.C. Nelson Distinguished Alumnus Award from Southwestern College and the Calab Encouragement award. He is the author of ``How to Conduct a Stewardship Campaign in the Local Church'' and the ``Loneliness Booklet.'' Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I pay tribute to Pastor G.L. Johnson for 35 years of service to the Peoples Church in Fresno, California. I applaud his commitment and dedication to Christianity, and his effort to strengthen religion in the community is commendable. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Pastor G.L. Johnson many more years of success.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Dr. Man J. Cha, Walter Fung, M.D., Toyoko Mae Takahashi, Pharm. D., Sutee Vatanatham, and Ia V. Xiong, for being selected the 1998 Portraits of Success Program Honorees by KSEE 24 and Companies that Care. In recognition of Asian American Heritage Month, these five leaders were honored for their unique contribution to the betterment of the community. Dr. Man J. Cha has served as Professor of political science and public administration at California State University, Fresno since 1969. He earned his masters and doctoral degrees from the School of Public Administration at the University of Southern California. He also earned his baccalaureate degree in International Relations and Economics from this acclaimed University. Since 1965, Dr. Cha has made significant contributions as an instructor in higher education. He has taught public management, organizational theory and behavior, and many other courses related to American government and public policy issues. He has also conducted extensive research related to environmental issues, economic development and the political and social culture of South Korea. In 1988, he was awarded a Rotary Foundation International Ambassadorial Scholarship to give lectures in Korea and the United States. In 1992 he was awarded a major grant from the Korea Research Foundation to study Korean bureaucracy and public policy. More recently, Dr. Cha was on sabbatical leave conducting policy research in China and Korea. Dr. Cha has published numerous scholarly works on a broad range of social and environmental issues related to Korea, Asian- American politics and America's economic foreign policy. On the local front, Dr. Cha served as a member of Fresno City Review Committee which recommended Fresno's strong mayor form of government in 1992. He also conducts training workshops to introduce city, county, and state employees to an advanced systems approach to public management methodology and processes. Dr. Walter Fung was born and raised in Fresno, California. He graduated from Edison High School in 1950 and later from California State University, Fresno. He received his degree in medicine from the University of California at Irvine specializing in gastroenterology. From 1971 until 1974, Dr. Fung served as the Medical Director for the Fresno County Economic Opportunities Commission, providing clinical care, immunization, and health screenings to low-income individuals and children. In 1974 Dr. Fung was confronted with a life-changing experience, which he says brought him a renewed focus on life. He was diagnosed with cancer and given two years to live. He credits this frightening experience with adding a deeper dimension to his physician- patient relationships. His own illness prompted him to serve others as much as possible. His caring and sensitivity has earned him public recognition for providing ``extraordinary patient care.'' More recently, Dr. Fung coordinated the building of the new First Chinese Baptist church in Fresno. The facility has become the hub of activities for the Chinese community. Dr. Fung personally was responsible for raising $700,000 of the $1.5 million needed to complete this project. His past community involvement also includes working with the Boy Scouts, the March of Dimes, and the Boys and Girls Club of Fresno. Today Dr. Fung says he will continue promoting ``filial piety'' among the Asian community. His future plans include helping to build a skilled nursing and retirement home for Asian seniors to best meet their dietary and cultural needs. Dr. Fung and his wife Barbara have been blessed with three children and two grandchildren. Dr. Toyoko Mae Takahashi is described by her friends and professional colleagues as a ``perennial volunteer'' who has been active for many years helping to improve the Fresno and Clovis communities. Dr. Takahashi completed her undergraduate studies at the University of California, Berkeley. She attained a doctoral degree from the School of Pharmacy at the University of California, San Francisco. In 1959, she completed a three-year pharmacy internship at Valley Medical Center in Fresno. In 1960, Dr. Takahashi established Valley Medical Pharmacy, Inc. (Manor drugs) acting as its corporate President. From 1969 until 1987, she served as a consultant for Hope Manor and Clovis Community Hospital. She later became a Partner at Hope Manor Convalescent Hospital, and more recently founded the Professional Pharmacy Alliance, Inc. and currently serves as the corporate President. In addition to her exemplary professional career, Dr. Takahashi is recognized for her extensive community service. She has been active for many years with Central California Asian Pacific Woman, an organization that helps to raise scholarships for deserving Asian Students. As well, she is active in the Soroptomist International of Fresno's Youth Forum. The Youth Forum is organized for students in Fresno and Clovis to provide young people with unique opportunities to discuss ways in which they can help to build a better society. Dr. Takahashi also served for five years as a member of the Board of Directors of the Fresno Private Industry Council, which provides employment and training programs to local residents. She has also been very active with the Central California District Council, Japanese American Citizens League, the Central California Nikkei Foundation, and the Woodward Park Shin Zen Gardens. Additionally, she has served on numerous committees designed to promote small business development, higher education and civil rights protection of Japanese-Americans. In 1990, Dr. Toyoko Mae Takahashi was Appointed by President George Bush to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Citizen Advisory Committee in Equal Opportunity. That same year she was recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice for her support and dedication to the Japanese American Redress Program. Mr. Sutee Vatanatham was born in Thailand in 1951. He and his family immigrated to Los Angeles, California, in the early 1970's where he attended public schools. In the mid 1970's, Mr. Vatanatham moved to Visalia, California, where he received a two-year degree in Engineering from College of the Sequoias. In 1980, he received a baccalaureate degree in Electrical Engineering from California State University, Fresno. In 1981, he opened the Thai House, the First Thai restaurant in Fresno. The restaurant has been rated the Best Thai Restaurant for four consecutive years, and three times the ``Best Asian Restaurant in the Valley'' by the ``Fresno Bee''. The Thai House employs more than 40 employees. In addition to becoming a successful restaurateur, Mr. Vatanatham has also made a significant contribution to our nation's defense. In 1988, he joined the U.S. Naval Reserve. In 1989, he was assigned to six month's active duty in Subic Bay, the Philippines, where he served in Operation Desert Shield. He later served in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia in Desert Storm. Mr. Vatanatham earned the National Defense Medal, the Achievement Commendation Medal, the South West Asian Medal, and the Kuwait Liberation Medal for his military service. On the local front, Mr. Vatanatham has distinguished himself through his charitable work and contributions. He makes year- round contributions to school activities, the Salvation Army, the Cancer Society, AMVETS, the March of Dimes, and the American Heart Association. Now, he volunteers to help build homes for Habitat for Humanity. Ms. Ia V. Xiong was born in Highland Laos. She is the third daughter of seven children. Her family immigrated to the United States in 1980 when she was 12 years old. Despite the great number of obstacles that confront Southeast Asian immigrants, Ms. Xiong has distinguished herself by becoming a highly successful role model for the Hmong community and society. In 1992, she became the first Hmong-American woman to become a teacher in the Fresno-Clovis Area. Currently, Ms. Xiong works for Fresno Unified School District as a bilingual advisor. Previously, she worked six years with Clovis Unified School District as an elementary bilingual teacher. At Clovis Unified School District she designed unique bilingual reading materials and developed primary language support programs for first and third-grade Hmong students. Ms. Xiong is credited with developing unique multi cultural learning activities, such as her popular ``Story Night'' program. In 1987 Ia V. Xiong published ``The Gift: A Hmong New Year.'' This book has become a popular resource for people wanting to learn more about Hmong culture. Her translation of ``How The Farmer Tricked The Evil Demon,'' has become another favorite among bilingual teachers who work with Hmong students. Ia V. Xiong is active in community service. She currently serves as a board member for the Fresno Center for New Americans. She is also past President of the Association of California School Administrators, Region IX, and is an active participant of the Hmong Language Institute. Ms. Xiong is married to Chalee Xiong. They are blessed with two young boys, Kien and Vincent. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I congratulate Dr. Man J. Cha, Dr. Walter Fung, Dr. Toyoko Mae Takahashi, Mr. Sutee Vatanatham, and Ms. Ia V. Xiong for being recognized as the KSEE 24 and Companies that Care 1998 Portraits of Success Honorees in celebration of Asian- American Heritage Month. I applaud the contributions, ideals, and leadership they have exhibited in our community. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing these fine individuals many more years of success.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I would like to have the following testimony inserted into the Congressional Record. On May 15, 1996, this testimony on the Armenian Genocide was submitted to the House Committee on International Relations by Levon Marashlian, Professor of History at Glendale Community College, California: In 1919, a political body called The National Congress of Turkey confirmed the overwhelming American evidence that the Armenians of the Ottoman Empire were victims of a mass destruction during World War I. The National Congress of Turkey declared that the ``guilt'' of the Turkish officials who ``conceived and deliberately carried out this infernal policy of extermination and robbery is patent,'' those officials ``rank among the greatest criminals of humanity.'' The official Turkish gazette ``Takvimi Vekayi'' published the verdict of the post-war Ottoman trials of those officials. The Turkish court ruled that the intention of the Ottoman leaders was ``the organization and execution'' of the ``crime of massacre.'' German Ambassador Johann Bernstorff, whose country was allied with Turkey, wrote about ``Armenia where the Turks have been systematically trying to exterminate the Christian population.'' Raphael Lemkin, who coined the word genocide in 1944, specifically cited the ``genocide of the Armenians.'' Those who today deny the Armenian Genocide are resorting to academically unsound revisionism, in order to prevent the moral act of remembering this crime against humanity. In the process the deniers are doing a disservice to the majority of today's Turkish people. By keeping the wounds open with their stonewalling tactics, by making it necessary to have hearings like this, they force the Turkish people to continue wearing like an albatross the negative image earned by a circle of officials who ruled eight decades ago. A consideration of House Con. Res. 47, which remembers ``the genocide perpetrated by the governments of the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1923,'' would provide a good opportunity to draw a distinction between the guilty and the innocent Turks, to remember also the Turks of decency who oppose their government's policy of inhumanity. At a time today when so many people in our own society too often shirk their individual responsibility to make personal choices based on principles and values, it is a good lesson for us to recall the years when American witnesses and Turkish civilians made the personal choice to resist a wrong and save human lives, when a few Turkish officials even chose to object, even though doing so could have endangered their own lives. One was Ottoman Senator, Ahmed Riza. In December 1915 he courageously condemned the policy to destroy and deport Turkey's two million Armenian citizens and expropriate their assets, which authorities were carrying out under the cover of a legislative fig leaf euphemistically called the Abandoned Properties Law. ``It is unlawful to designate'' Armenian properties as abandoned, declared Senator Riza, because they did not leave their properties voluntarily. They were ``forcibly'' removed from their homes and exiled. ``Now the government is selling'' their possessions. ``Nobody can sell my property if I am unwilling to sell it. This is atrocious. Grab my arm, eject me from my village, then sell my goods and properties? Such a thing can never be permissible. Neither the conscience of the Ottomans nor the law can allow it.'' Mr. Chairman, during a debate on the Senate floor in February 1990, your colleague Robert Dole championed another resolution commemorating the Armenian Genocide (SJR 212), and declared, ``it's finally time for us to do what is right. Right. We pride ourselves in America'' for ``doing what's right, not what's expedient.'' In this case, doing what is right does not exact a big price. The frequently heard argument that a commemorative resolution will harm American-Turkish relations in not credible. It ignores the fact that the relationship is much more in Turkey's favor than America's. Not doing what is right, on the other hand, is tantamount to rejecting mountains of documents in our National Archives, testimonies that refute the denial arguments generated in Ankara and, most disturbingly, promoted in prestigious academic circles here in America. This denial recently spurred over 100 prominent scholars and intellectuals, including Raul Hilberg, John Updike, Norman Mailer, Kurt Vonnegut, and Arthur Miller, to sign a petition denouncing the ``intellectually and morally corrupt . . . . manipulation of American institutions'' and the ``fraudulent scholarship supported by the Turkish government and carried out in American Universities. A typical example of the powerful evidence in the US Archives is a cable to the State Department from Ambassador Henry Morgenthau: ``Persecution of Armenians assuming unprecedented proportions. Reports from widely scattered districts indicate systematic attempts to uproot peaceful Armenian populations and through arbitrary arrests'' and ``Terrible tortures,'' to implement ``wholesale expulsions and deportations from one end of the Empire to the other,'' frequently accompanied by ``rape, pillage, and murder, turning into massacre . . .'' And the persecutions continued even after World War I ended in 1918. ``It was like an endless chain,'' reported Edith Woods, an American nurse, in 1922. ``The children would often be dead before I had taken their names. Forty to fifty of the older women died each day. . . . Their mouths were masses of sores, and their teeth were dropping out. And their feet, those poor feet, bleeding feet. . . . Deportation is sure death--and a far more horrible death than massacre. Unless one sees these things it is difficult to believe that such monstrous cruelty and barbarity exist in the world.'' Ms. Woods' testimony ripped to shreds the web of denial being woven by Turkish officials in the early 1920's. She also exposed the new atmosphere of intensitivity at the American Embassy in Istanbul which contradicted the overwhelming sentiment of American public opinion and the spirit of Congressional resolutions in favor of Armenians that were passed during those days. This American woman made the personal choice to speak up against the response at her own Embassy, a policy imposed by acting ambassador Admiral Mark Bristol, who, driven obsessively by commercial interests, was colluding in a cover-up crafted by Turkish authorities. Allen Dulles, the State Department's Near East Division chief (and later CIA Director), found it hard to keep things under wraps as Bristol requested. ``Confidentially the State Department is in a bind,'' Dulles cautioned in April 1922. ``Our task would be simple if the reports of the atrocities could be declared untrue or even exaggerated but the evidence, alas, is irrefutable and the Secretary of State wants to avoid giving the impression that while the United States is willing to intervene actively to protect its commercial interests, it is not willing to move on behalf of the Christian minorities.'' And the evidence mounted. In May 1922, four American relief workers, Major Forrest D. Yowell of Washington DC, Dr. Mark Ward of New York, Dr. Ruth Parmalee of Boston, and Isabel Harely of Rhode Island, were all expelled from their posts in Turkey because they too chose to do what is right, they protested the ongoing persecutions. Major Yowell said Armenians in his district were ``in a state of virtual slavery,'' with ``no rights in the courts.'' Dr. Ward quoted Turkish officials. One Turk declared: ``We have been too easy in the past. We shall do a thorough job this time.'' Another remarked: ``Why do you Americans waste your time and money on these filthy Greeks and Armenians? We always thought that Americans knew how to get their moneys worth. Any Greeks and Armenians who don't die here are sure to die when we send them on to Bitlis, as we always choose the worse weather in order to get rid of them quicker.'' Not all Turks were so cruel. A British diplomat reported that another American in Turkey, Herbert Gibbons, knew of prominent Turks who protested the ``unparalleled inhumanity:'' but they were ``beaten and sent away'' for intervening. The Mayor of the Black Sea city of Trabzon had no sympathy with the government's policy and did what little he could. The Governor also opposed the ``massacres and persecutions,'' but was powerless to stop it. His predecessor tried and was removed. Gibbons thought the government's policy was ``a calumny upon the good Turks, of whom there are many,'' Massacres never broke out spontaneously, since ``Christians and Moslems ordinarily get along very well.'' The massacres were ordered, as part of a plan ``to make Turkey truly Turkish.'' Yet there are ``humane and kind hearted Turks,'' Gibbons stressed, and there are ``Mohammedans who fear God and who are shocked by the impious horrors of the extermination policy.'' Revisionists today say in that effect Americans like Forrest Yowell, Mark Ward, Ruth Parmalee, Isabel Harley, Edith Woods, Herbert Gibbons, and Ambassador Henry Morgenthau were either liars or misguided. Remembering the atrocities against the Armenians would show respect for those Americans who spoke up, and respect as well for Turks like Senator Riza who also chose to oppose the injustice. A recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the US Congress would be a step toward helping erase described in 1951 as ``this black stain on the forehead of the Turkish people.'' Encouraging Turkey to face the facts of its history would help lift the cloud of controversy which haunted it for decades. It would help eliminate the deep roots of Armenian- Turkish enmity, paving the way to normalized relations, and it would give Armenia the sense of security many Armenians feel is necessary if they are to respond to Russia's regional policies with more independence and balance. The prospects for American commerce and regional stability would be strengthened by a recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Acknowledging the Armenian Genocide also would show that Congress cannot condone the brazen contradiction of its own Archives and the dangerous corruption of America's academic institutions. It would send a strong signal to all deniers of genocide, especially to deniers of the Holocaust. Mr. Chairman taking a stand against the denial of the Armenian Genocide would be entirely consistent with the successful resolution ``Deploring Holocaust Deniers'' which you so wisely introduced last December, in which you too did what is right, by calling denial efforts ``malicious.'' Such language is applicable to the denial of the Armenian Genocide as well. Mr. Speaker, when weighing the merits of the arguments on both sides of this issue, it would be useful to keep in mind a letter sent to Secretary of State Charles Evans Hughes in 1924 by Admiral Bristol, a man who was called ``very pro-Turk'' by Joseph Clark Grew, Washington's first Ambassador to Ankara. Even the pro-Turk Admiral acknowledged ``the cruelties practiced upon the Armenians by Turks acting under official orders, and in pursuance of a deliberate official policy.'' For that policy, wrote Admiral Bristol, ``there can be no adequate excuse.''

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the law enforcement officials and central California valley youth who have contributed to the 3rd annual community service ``Operation Gang Rescue.'' Fresno, Madera, Merced, and Los Banos communities, local officials, and the Central Valley Dermatology and Laser Medical Center have joined together in support of the community Gang Intervention program and gang related tattoo removal for Valley youth. I applaud their efforts and dedication. ``Operation Gang Rescue'' is a community service program in cooperation with ``Gang Intervention Units'' of the police departments of local communities from Fresno, Madera, and Merced Counties. Men and women in the law enforcement organizations serve as mentors, providing direction and encouragement to the youth involved in the program. The participation of the law enforcement organizations, which includes the Fresno County Probation Department, Madera Probation Department, Merced Police Department, and Los Banos Police Department, is commendable. The objective of the program is to establish a long term community service program where the Central Valley Dermatology and Laser Medical Center contributes its time, facility, and laser equipment to provide treatment sessions and removal of ``gang related tattoos'' free of charge. The participation of Dr. Syed Pervaiz and the Central Valley Dermatology and Laser Center has been instrumental to the program for the past three years. Dr. Pervaiz is credited with being a community leader and exemplary citizen. He and his staff are a credit to the community. The youngsters that participate in this program are selected by the Fresno County Probation Department, Madera Probation Department, Merced Police Department South Station, and Los Banos Police Department. They are all deserving of this recognition. For all of their hard work and dedication I would like to recognize Probation Officers Phillip Fuentes, Kristine Kelly, and Gerald Sandoval from the Fresno County Probation Department, Juvenile Division. I would also like to recognize youths Dawn Dervisian, Joe Madrid, and Jonathan Franco who were selected for the program by the Fresno County Probation Department. I would like to congratulate Naomi Saldivar-Wyatt and Daniel Nunez from the Madera Probation Department. Additionally, I recognize Obed Reyes, Timothy Edwards, Angel Ortega, and Michael Ramon for actively participating in this program under the guidance of the Madera Probation Department officers. I would like to recognize Commander Wally Broughton, D.A. Penn, and Richard Morgan from the Merced Police Department South Station. Under their guidance, Erick Smith, Mimi Mojica, Khou Moua, Daniel Aguilar, John Stephens, and John Vang all actively participated. From the Los Banos Police Department, Chief Mike Hughes and Wayne Small oversaw youths Ernie Alvarez and Celina Basch. These devoted individuals have made concerted effort to make a difference in the San Joaquin Valley. It is through the community efforts displayed by these individuals that we can reach a higher level of tranquillity in our respective communities. The program is a multi-agency effort to give ``at risk'' youth a chance to lead productive lives. Additionally, the program offers young people the opportunity to rid themselves of gang tattoos free of charge. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I pay tribute to the law enforcement officials and central California valley youth who have contributed to the 3rd annual community service ``Operation Gang Rescue.'' I commend Dr. Pervaiz and his staff for facilitating the services and procedures to give these young citizens an opportunity for a brighter future. The efforts of the law enforcement officers of Fresno, Madera, Merced, and Los Banos bring unmeasurable rewards for the youths participating in the ``Operation Gang Rescue'' program. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing ``Operation Gang Rescue'' many more years of success.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Chuck Monges and the Legion of Valor Museum. Chuck Monges, a World War II war veteran, founded the Legion of Valor Museum in 1991. Chuck Monges has committed himself to the museum and is very deserving of this recognition. The Legion of Valor is an association of those whose valor has been recognized by award of our nation's two highest decorations. These high medals of decoration are the Medal of Honor of the Navy, Army or Air Force; and the Army Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, or Air Force Cross. Organized on April 23, 1890, The Legion of Valor is the nation's senior organization of veterans. It was chartered by public law 224, an act of Congress, and approved by the president on August 4, 1955. The principles of the Legion of Valor are patriotic allegiance to the United States of America, fidelity to its constitution and laws, the security of civil liberties, and the perpetuation of free institutions. The museum was the dream of Chuck Monges, a retired Major of the United States Army. Major Monges was a recipient of the Navy Cross while serving as a U.S. Marine at the Battle of Saipan during World War II. Major Monges started his project in 1991 with his wife, Anita, working at his side. Major Monges received permission from the City Council of the City of Fresno to rehabilitate an abandoned storeroom of the theater in the Fresno Memorial Auditorium. What started as an impossible pile of junk has developed into the most unique and inspiring military museum in the United States. The museum staff currently consists of 25 volunteer docents. There is no paid staff. The 10,000 square feet of space is filled with uniforms, equipment, weapons and memorabilia representing all wars from the Civil War through Dessert Storm. Included are numerous fighting plane and fighting ship models. All items on display have been donated to the museum. The museum lobby contains large replicas of the Medals of Honor, Service Crosses, Silver Star, and Bronze and Purple Heart with the names of Fresno County recipients on brass plaques under the medals. In front of the building are flagpoles with the flags of the armed Services and Veterans Organizations. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I pay tribute to Chuck Monges and The Legion of Valor Museum. It is the leadership and dedication exhibited by Chuck Monges that should serve as a model for service men and women the world over. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Chuck Monges and the Legion of Valor many years of continued success.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Dick and Bob Anderson of Anderson Farms for receiving the Fresno County Farm Bureau's Distinguished Service Award. The Andersons have been providing dedicated service to the agricultural community since the 1940's and are very deserving of this honor. Dick and Lesta Anderson began farming in Tulare in 1940. Over the years, both of their sons, Bob and Craig, and grandchildren have joined in the family farming enterprises. In 1974, the Andersons purchased land and equipment in the Huron area from the Giffen Ranch. They started Vasto Valle Farms, Inc. where Bob Anderson served as the ranch manager. During the first year, with only one tractor operating, they managed to harvest tomatoes and a variety of row crops. During the 1970's, they primarily farmed tomatoes, onions, melons, and lettuce. In the 1980's, the water situation and commodity prices affected their cropping patterns. The Andersons added many vegetable crops which were new to the Westside. These crops included peppers, mixed melons, corn, celery, garlic, broccoli, leaf lettuce, cauliflower, beans, and cabbage. With their increased interest in vegetable production, the Andersons recognized the opportunity of building and operating their own cold storage facility and began to ship vegetables under their own labels of Vasto Valle Farms, Weston, and Dancin Andson. In 1977, the Andersons formed a partnership and built a state of the art greenhouse nursery in Huron. The Plantel Central Valley Nursery now has 127,000 square feet of greenhouse space, with plenty of room for expansion. Anderson Farms has grown significantly over the years. The Andersons now plant vegetables during every month of the year. In 1998, the Andersons expected to grow about 6,400 acres of vegetables. Dick and Bob Anderson have always been supportive of their community. They have both served on the Board of Directors of the Huron Ginning Company. They support local schools and help students with their projects and activities. Bob's son, Mark, is currently in charge of Anderson Farms fresh fruit and vegetable sales and is Vice Chairman of the California Cantaloupe Advisory Board. His daughter, Robyn Black, is Deputy Director of the California Department of Industrial Relations. Robyn has served as an advisory board member of California Agriculture in the Classroom and is a member of the California Farm Water Coalition Board of Directors. The Andersons are a four generation farming family. Their love of farming keeps them searching for new and innovative methods of keeping up with the constantly changing times. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I congratulate Dick and Bob Anderson for receiving the Fresno County Farm Bureau's Distinguished Service Award. It is their exceptional dedication and contribution to farming that warrant this recognition. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Dick and Bob Anderson many more years of success.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Bob Duncan for being honored with the Silver Medallion Award. This award is the highest honor bestowed by the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Bob Duncan has been a life long supporter of the Boys & Girls Club and is very deserving of this honor. Bob Duncan was born and raised in Fresno, California. He is the son of Lee R. Duncan and Mary Erma Duncan and has four grandchildren. He attended California State University, Fresno and served in the United States Army for three years during World War II, where he was a Lieutenant in the Medical Administration Corps. Bob Duncan is currently on the Board of Governors at California State University, Fresno. He serves on the Steering Committee of the American Lung Association Celebrity Waiters Luncheon and is a member of the Fresno Rotary, Presidents, Circle-California State University, Frenso, and Little Hero's-Big Heroes of Valley Childrens Hospital Program. He is the Director of the Fresno Metropolitan Museum, Fresno City and County Boys & Girls Club, and the Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame. Additionally, he serves on the Executive Committee of the Fresno Business Council, the Executive Committee of the Fresno Convention & Business Bureau, and the State Center Community College Foundation. Bob Duncan has been honored with many awards. He has received the Presidents Award, been named Optimist Of The Year by the Greater Fresno Optimists, recognized as Boss of The Year by the National Secretaries Association and has received the Alumnus Award from the California State University, Fresno School of Business. He has been named Honorary Member of Beta Gramma Sigma and was honored with the Top Producer Award by the California State University, Frenso Bulldog Foundation. He has received the Friend of Youth Award from the Optimists Club, the Citizens Service Award from the Fresno Association For the Retarded, and has appropriately had the Campus Athletic Building at California State University, Fresno named after him. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I congratulate Bob Duncan for receiving the Silver Medallion Award. I applaud his leadership and exceptional community involvement. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Bob Duncan many more years of success.