Adam Schiff

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Burbank Fire Department upon its 100th Anniversary. For a century, the Burbank Fire Department has been an integral part of the community, keeping the residents of Burbank safe and well informed about fire prevention. The Burbank Fire Department started as a small group of volunteers defending the population of 500 from the devastating effects of fire in the community. After multiple fires caused damage to the area, the Burbank Board of Trustees established the Burbank Fire Department in 1913. Over the years, the Burbank Fire Department has expanded their services to fit the various needs of the community. In 1974 the department started a paramedic program and has been an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) provider ever since. Burbank Fire Paramedics established field treatment protocols in 1993 and these protocols are now used across Los Angeles County as the EMS standard for clinically effective and safe field care. The department's EMS program has been recognized as one of the best in the State of California. As a part of the Verdugo Fire Communications Center, established in 1979 by the cities of Burbank, Glendale, and Pasadena, the Burbank Fire Department makes optimum use of fire services available in the area and increases the effectiveness of the cities' fire defense system. The Verdugo Fire Communications Center is still owned by the three original cities, but it also provides services as needed to the Bob Hope Airport, Alhambra, Arcadia, Monrovia, Montebello, Monterey Park, San Gabriel, San Marino, Sierra Madre, and South Pasadena. Today, the Burbank Fire Department is a full service fire agency with six fire stations, a training center, and seven divisions: Fire Prevention Bureau, Fire Suppression, Emergency Medical Services, Emergency Management, Fire Apparatus & Equipment, Training & Safety, and Administration. The department responds to 9200 incidents a year and serves approximately 108,000 people over a 17.14 square mile area. I am honored to recognize the men and women of the Burbank Fire Department for their commitment to keeping our community safe and ask all Members to join me in congratulating the Burbank Fire Department upon its 100th Anniversary.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Joseph Lucian Wyatt, Jr. of Pasadena, California, who was an influential force in Southern California legal circles as well as an exceptional community activist. Joe was born in Chicago, Illinois, the only son of Joseph and Cecile Wyatt. From 1942 to 1945, Joe served in the United States Air Force as a First Sergeant in the USAAF Troop Carrier Command in England, France, and Germany. After returning home, Joseph received his undergraduate degree from Northwestern University in 1947 and his law degree from Harvard Law School in 1949. He then moved to California to practice law and soon met Marge Simmons at a California Federation of Young Democrats Convention. They married in 1954. Mr. Wyatt practiced trust and estate law for three law firms, specializing in trust and estate planning, fiduciary and tax practice, and trial and appellate litigation on behalf of individual and institutional clients. Most recently, Mr. Wyatt served as Senior of Counsel to Morrison/Foerster LLP. He authored an impressive four-volume treatise on Trust Administration and Taxation, and since 1962 he has been a prominent lecturer in his field. He was also an active member of many professional organizations. Mr. Wyatt was known as a people's lawyer and will be fondly remembered as a bow tie aficionado, rarely being seen in public without a bow tie. Joe served his community as a board member of the Pacific Oaks College and Children's School, the California State Personnel Board, the Board of Administration of the California Public Employees Retirement System, and anti-poverty agencies of Pasadena and Los Angeles. In addition, he also supported many non-profit organizations that specialized in education and children's services. Joe was the counsel to the California delegation at six Democratic National Conventions, prior to which he was a delegate to four conventions. He was very active at state and local Democratic Party events, often serving as a skillful parliamentarian. Joe Wyatt was a very accomplished man, an admirable lawyer, and a great husband and father. He was principled, intelligent, humble, and humorous. He will be greatly missed not only by his wife Marge and their four children Daniel, Linn, Jonathan, and Lawrence, but by the entire community. I ask all Members to join me in remembering Joseph Lucian Wyatt, Jr.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Richard J. Mouw, as he retires after 20 years as President of Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. Throughout his tenure, Dr. Mouw has been a strong institutional leader, fruitful author, interfaith bridge builder, and advocate for public civility. Dr. Mouw was educated at Houghton College, the University of Alberta, Canada, and the University of Chicago, where he received a Ph.D. in Philosophy. He taught at Calvin College before joining Fuller Seminary as a professor of Christian philosophy and ethics in 1985. He soon moved to the role of Provost, and in 1993 was appointed the fourth President of Fuller Seminary. During Richard's presidency, Fuller Seminary has grown into an internationally recognized center for learning about faith and its contributions to society. His leadership has helped Fuller to extend its reach by becoming a network of seven campuses, offering online study options, establishing Korean-language programs, expanding the Hispanic Center, and forging a number of study partnerships with international institutions that have increased the seminary's global influence. Richard is known and admired for his commitment to interfaith and ecumenical dialogue. He regularly takes part in formal dialogues between religious communities and as such has formed lasting friendships with individuals of other faiths and Christian traditions. Richard's actions have been an inspiration for others to reach out across faith divides. Several interfaith forums have taken place on Fuller's campus and he has turned Fuller Seminary into a ``convening place'' where many diverse peoples can respectfully share beliefs and opinions. Dr. Mouw is a renowned Christian spokesperson and influential voice in the community, country, and the world. Often called upon by institutions across the globe, Richard delivers lectures and sermons on issues of faith. His longtime academic focus on philosophy and ethics has resulted in extensive writing on social justice. He is known for suggesting new approaches for Christian engagement with culture and his innovative thinking often opens fresh perspectives for many of his readers. Dr. Mouw has authored 19 books throughout his prolific writing career. Dr. Mouw and his wife, Phyllis, have been married for fifty years, and have one son and two grandchildren. It is with great appreciation and respect that I ask all Members to join me in thanking Dr. Richard J. Mouw for his exceptional leadership of Fuller Theological Seminary over the last two decades.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I would like to say the following in Armenian to my Armenian friends: Sireli hai paragamneres, hos yev ashkharee chors goghmereh. Aysor, Haiots Tseghasbahnootian inisoonoot erort darelitseen oreh, khoskes googhem tsezi Neriguyatsusichneroo Don ambiyonen, tser medzhaireh loon lezvov. Lezoo muh vorov anonk gardahaideyeen irents hooysereh, gyankeh, yeraznereh, yev sereh hazar inuh hairoor dasnuhinkee naxortogh darineroon. Osmanyan Guysrutian daradzkin, dasnyag hazaravorner chartehvetsan. Tsezi guh khoseem lezvovuh ayn yerexaneroon voronk aganadess yeghan irents hayreru spanootyan. Hazaravor geener pernaparvetsan. Tsezi guh khoseem lezvovuh anonts toosdreroon, voronk koot gugherseyeen toork vosdiganneren. Tsezi guh khoseem lezvovuh ayn yerekhaneroon, voronk gateel muh choor gugherseyeen. Tsezi guh khoseem lezvovuh ayn myreroon, voronk mahatsahn irents noradzeenneruh irents keergeroon mech. Tsezi guh khoseem lezvovuh ayn verabroghneroon, voronk Amereega yegan azadootyooneth vaylelu yev nor gyank muh usguseloo hamar. Kuhreteh meg tareh eever, toorkia goorana tsaghasbanootyooneh. Toorkiah goozeh, vor ashkharuh morna ays maseen. Tsezi guh khoseem lezvovuh anonts, voronk ayleves chegan. Anonk mezmeh guh khentren heeshell zeerenk. Anonts tsaynereh dagaveen guh lesveen. Yes ays nahadagneren voyeveh megoon hednortuh chem, sagayn tsezi guh khoseem irents keghetseeg lezvov, vorovhedev aysor, polores hai enk! Tsezi guh khoseem ays vayren, Nerguyatsutsichneroo Don ambiyonen vorovhedev Amerigatsi joghovurteh meeshd jagaden yez kachootyamp nayadz eh polor sarsapneroon oo zanonk gochadz eh irents poon anoonov. Guh sbasem ayn orvan, yerp ir ghegavarnereh yeves nooynuh beedee unnen. Vorovhedev yes vuhsdah em, vor ayt oruh beedee kah. Guh sbasem vor chooshanah, vorbesi verabroghneruh luhsen anor tsentseech tsignuh. Asdvadz mer tsignuh luhseh. (English translation of the above statement is as follows:) To my Armenian friends: Today, on the 98th anniversary of the genocide day, I speak to you in the language of your grandparents and your great grandparents--the language they used to speak of their hopes, their dreams, their loves in the years before 1915. By the time it was over in 1923, more than 1.5 million Armenians-- men, women and children--were dead. It was the first genocide of the 20th Century. I speak to you in the language of the mothers who died with their babies in their arms. Throughout the Ottoman Empire, tens of thousands were killed outright. Others were force marched through desert heat as the Ottoman government sought to destroy a people. I speak to you in the language of the children begging for a drop of water. Women were raped by the thousands. I speak to you in the language of the girls begging the gendarmes for mercy. A nation was scattered around the world. To the Middle East, to Europe and to America. I speak to you in the language of the survivors who came to America for freedom and made a new life. For almost a century, Turkey has denied the genocide. In the face of overwhelming evidence--much of it from American diplomats and journalists--Ankara has denied that the genocide ever happened. They want the world to forget. I speak to you in the language of those who were lost. Their voices drift across the decades--begging us to not forget them, no matter how hard some people try. I am not Armenian, but I speak to you in your language because on this day we are all Armenian. For many years I have sat with you and listened--to the stories of those who were lost in the genocide and those who survived. I speak to you in their language and yours to thank you for sharing your history with me and to pledge again that I will not stop fighting until the United States lives up to its principles by honoring and commemorating the Armenian Genocide. And because I know that day will come. May it come soon, so the last of the survivors may hear its awesome sound. May God hear our voices.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a resident of Los Angeles, California, and a 105-year-old survivor of the Armenian Genocide--Rose Garjian. Rose Garjian, then Rose Dedeian, was born on May 1, 1908, in the city of Kilis, located in south-central Turkey. Her father, Zakar Dedeian, worked as a shoemaker and cobbler, and her mother, Maritsa Dedeian, worked as a teacher. When the government of the Ottoman Empire launched a campaign of fear, destruction and death in the Spring of 1915, Ms. Garjian was only six-years-old. Her father hurriedly took his family to a small neighboring village to go into hiding from the Turks. Ms. Garjian remembered the episode last year in an interview recalling that her father did not tell them why they had to go, only that they should hurry. ``We left our home, and went to the desert,'' said Garjian. ``My father took us to hide, he tried to take us away from the Turks.'' While the Dedeian family was in hiding, the Ottoman government committed genocide against the Armenian people through wholesale massacre, forced marches through blistering deserts across the villages and cities of eastern Anatolia. When the killings ended eight years later, more than a million and a half Armenian men, women and children were dead, and the world's oldest Christian nation had been shattered--with its survivors scattered around the world. The Dedeian family moved to Lebanon, where Ms. Garjian attended Catholic School, learning French and Arabic. There, she met her husband Robert Garjian, a successful cobbler, who had come from the United States to marry her. Once in the United States, Ms. Garjian gave birth to two daughters, Ellen and Mary. She is a dedicated wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, with six grandchildren, twelve great-grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. One family member spoke of her caring nature, saying ``her home was always open to family members visiting or immigrating to the United States.'' After her husband passed away in 1986, Ms. Garjian continued to dedicate herself to her family and community. She served as a volunteer for the Valley Guild of the Arat Home--where she now lives--and was active in the Armenian community where she was a member of the Massis Church in Los Angeles, treasurer for the Marash Women's Group, member of the United Armenian Congregational Church, and is one of the founding members of Aleppo College. After her husband passed away in 1986, Ms. Garjian continued to dedicate herself to her family and community. Garjian served as a volunteer for the Valley Guild of the Arat Home-- where she now lives--and was active in the Armenian community where she was a member of the Massis Church in Los Angeles, treasurer for the Marash Women's Group, member of the United Armenian Congregational Church, and is one of the founding members of Aleppo College. I ask that all Members join me in honoring a wonderful woman, Rose Garjian, for her remarkable story, dedication to family and exceptional service to the community.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I rise in opposition to the overall measure. There are three concerns that have been raised by the administration about this bill that I share. The first is that it does not include a provision requiring the private sector to make reasonable efforts to remove personal information before they share it with each other or before they share it with the government. This is a bedrock necessity for those who are concerned about the privacy of Americans who may be implicated in this cyber sharing. Second, it's very important that a civilian agency, like the Department of Homeland Security, be the main intake--really, the sole intake--for this domestic data. There was one form of amendment offered in Rules to try to address this problem yesterday, yet another form of that amendment that was ultimately adopted by Rules, and yet a third form of that amendment that was adopted here this morning. None of us know exactly what it does because it has been a moving object. But it is very unclear whether this amendment would make a civilian agency, such as DHS, the sole intake for this domestic data. It should not be a military agency. We shouldn't have the private sector interacting directly with a military agency when it comes to domestic data that may involve the privacy of the American people. Finally, the immunity provisions are very broad and need to be reined in so as to encourage the private sector to take reasonable steps to make sure it does not compromise privacy interests when it is not necessary to do so to protect cybersecurity. Those three issues still must be addressed. I want to compliment the chairman and the ranking member for the work they have done. They have made a very good-faith effort to make progress on many of these issues and in fact have made progress, but the bill still falls short and I must urge a ``no'' vote.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. I thank the gentleman for yielding the additional time. And just to respond to my colleague, I'd be interested to know if there is anything you can point to in those 17 amendments that governs or requires the private sector, when it shares information with other private sector entities, to remove personally identifiable information. Because under the bill, the only minimization that's required is being done by the government; and in the case of private-to-private sector sharing, there is no government role. So this is the big hole. While there are many private sector companies that may support the bill because it gives them broad immunity without any responsibility, that doesn't mean it's good policy, particularly when private companies have said they would make reasonable efforts. They're willing to do it; they can do it; they have the capacity to do it; we're just not asking them to do it or requiring them to do it. And we're giving something of great value to them, and that is we're giving them broad immunity. I think with that immunity ought to come some responsibility; and it shouldn't be too much to ask that that responsibility take the form of a reasonable effort, not a herculean one, not an impossible one, but a reasonable effort to ensure that Americans' privacy interests are observed and they take out that information when they can.

Mr. SCHIFF. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the rule. At the outset, let me say that the cyber threat is real and its damage already devastating. And I very much appreciate the work that the chair and ranking member of the Intelligence Committee have done on this bill, and I appreciate that we have made and are continuing to make improvements. But as the bill currently stands and as it will stand even after the amendments allowed by the rule are adopted, the bill simply does not do enough to protect the private information of Americans. Most importantly, I'm disappointed that the proposed rule does not allow an amendment that I offered with Ms. Schakowsky, Ms. Eshoo, Mr. Holt, and Mr. Thompson of Mississippi. My amendment would fix an issue specifically cited by the White House in its Statement of Administration Policy in explaining why the President's advisers would recommend a veto of CISPA without important change. It would require the companies that share cyber threat information either with the government or with another private company to make reasonable efforts to remove personally identifiable information. As the administration stated in its veto threat, the administration remains concerned that the bill does not require private entities to take reasonable steps to remove irrelevant personal information when sending cybersecurity data to the government or other private sector entities. Citizens have a right to know that corporations will be held accountable--and not granted immunity--for failing to safeguard personal information adequately. The requirement of government-alone efforts to safeguard or minimize personal information is simply not enough. This is most apparent when, under the immunized conduct in the bill, private entities can share information with each other without ever going through the government. In those circumstances, how can the government minimize what it never possesses? So government-side minimization alone, which is all this bill includes, is not enough. We have responded to the concerns of industry by making sure that when we ask them to take reasonable efforts to remove personal information, they can do so in real-time through automated processes. The witnesses who testified before the Intelligence Committee said that often the private parties are in the best position to anonymize the data. This is something they're doing anyway. And it's more than reasonable to require them to do that, particularly if we want to give them a broad grant of immunity. Mr. Speaker, without an amendment to ensure that companies remove private information when they can do so--when they can do so through reasonable efforts--I cannot support the underlying bill. I believe that Members of both parties who support this change deserve the chance to vote on it. I suspect that because that issue would have gathered broad support, it is not being brought up for a vote here on the floor, and that is very disappointing. Accordingly, I urge a ``no'' vote on the rule, and I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the outstanding contributions and sacrifices made by our nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. I would like to recognize an exceptional woman, Ceci Dominguez. A resident of Elysian Valley for 41 years, Ms. Dominguez has been an advocate for clean air and creating green areas in our community. She has helped not only plan, but also establish the Jardin Del Rio Community Garden, the Marsh Street Park, and the Marsh Skate Park. Currently, Ceci serves as President of the Elysian Valley Seniors, and serves on the boards of the Sotomayor Learning Academies ArtLab School Site Governing Council, and the Cornerstone Theater Company, where she received the Community Visionary Award. She also serves as the President of the Park Advisory Board at the Elysian Valley Recreation Center, where she co-organized the Health and Holiday Fair in 2010 and the first Mammogram Social for women in 2011, where health services were provided free of charge to the public. She is also involved with community organizations such as the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, Friends of the Los Angeles River, and Elysian Valley Girl Scouts of America. Previously, Ceci served as a Board Member of the Elysian Valley Riverside Neighborhood Council. She also co-founded the NorthEast Residents for Clean Air in 2011. Along with her late husband, Rey Dominguez, Ceci raised two wonderful children, Laura and Rey, and is the proud grandmother of Ricky. I ask all Members to join me in honoring a truly extraordinary woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Ceci Dominguez.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our Nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. I would like to recognize Cindy Cleghorn of Tujunga, California, whose involvement in the Sunland-Tujunga community is truly remarkable. Cindy began her volunteer career early. As a young girl in La Crescenta, California, she went door-to-door raising funds for the March of Dimes, and was a member of several organizations that promoted leadership development, including Job's Daughters, Eastern Star and Camp Fire Girls. This involvement gave her not only experience in giving back to her community, but also fostered her business and entrepreneurial skills. In 1982, Ms. Cleghorn founded her company, C&M Printing, in Glendale, a small business that provides personalized service for nonprofits, businesses and organizations with their printing, copying and mailing needs, serving the greater Los Angeles area. She has been a leader in many business organizations, including the California Association of Business Printers, serving as President, the National Association of Women Business Owners-Los Angeles Chapter, where she received the Member of the Year Award in 1993, the Kiwanis Club of Glendale, where she served as Vice President, and Women Impacting Public Policy. In 1995, Cindy received the distinct honor of being elected to serve on the White House Conference on Small Business. Cindy became active in the Sunland-Tujunga community when she moved her business to Tujunga. She helped to organize the certification of the Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council, an advisory body to the city of Los Angeles, served as a member of the Board of Directors, served as President and Secretary and is currently serving as Vice President of Outreach. In addition, Ms. Cleghorn spearheaded the restoration of a business area in Tujunga which is now designated as Historic Olde Towne Tujunga. Selected by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Cindy served as a City Commissioner on the Neighborhood Council Review Commission. Currently, she is on the executive committee of the Valley Alliance of Neighborhood Councils where she works with nearly 100 neighborhood councils in Los Angeles as Chair of the Congress of Neighborhoods, and the Sunland-Tujunga Chamber of Commerce, where she is President. I ask all Members to join me in honoring a truly remarkable woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Cindy Cleghorn.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. I would like to recognize Dr. Gail Schaper-Gordon, of Pasadena, California, whose work in her private practice and in her community focuses on building leadership skills, teamwork and motivating people to reach their full potential. Dr. Schaper-Gordon received her B.S. in Sociology from UC Irvine and her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology. She is the CEO Group Chair of Vistage International, which provides executive coaching and group facilitation of peer advisory groups for business owners, President of Win-Win Workplace Solutions, an executive and management consulting company, and is a Business Psychologist. A consummate volunteer, some of Gail's past volunteer activities include membership in Zonta International and the National Women's Political Caucus, and serving on the boards of the Valley Industry and Commerce Association (VICA), where she chaired various committees, and the Pasadena-Foothill Valley YWCA. Gail is a Leadership San Fernando Valley Graduate, and is a past Board Member of Leadership Pasadena. Dr. Schaper-Gordon has been involved in many professional organizations, such as the National Register of Health Service Providers, the California Psychological Association, where she served as Past Chair of the Statewide Governmental Affairs Committee, and the San Fernando Valley Psychological Association, where she served as Chapter President. Current volunteer activities include serving as Program Chair for the Kiwanis Club of Pasadena, and as a Board Member of the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce. In addition, Gail provides free services to local non-profit organizations each year. Gail's passion for educating and motivating people is evident in the many workshops and presentations she's given, such as Working with Difficult People in Public Settings at the Valley Alliance of Neighborhood Councils, Motivating Employees at the VICA Business Forecast Conference and Psychologists Meeting the Needs of the Business Community and National Health Care Reform, at the San Fernando Valley Psychological Association. Gail and her husband of twenty years, Barry Gordon, live in Pasadena and have two children and one grandchild. I ask all Members to join me in honoring a truly remarkable woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Dr. Gail Schaper-Gordon.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. I would like to recognize an exceptional woman, Heidi Shink of West Hollywood, California, who for many years has been an avid community leader and political activist. Heidi is an Advocacy Board Member for the National Council of Jewish Women, Vice President of Communications for the Stonewall Democratic Club, a Commissioner for Human Services in the City of West Hollywood, a liaison to West Hollywood's Women's Advisory Board, and Board Member of Liberty Hill's Community Funding Board, Victory Fund's Campaign Board, Democrats For Israel, and the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. In 2013, Heidi ran as a candidate and was elected to the California Democratic Party's State Central Committee. Heidi Shink has had a dynamic and multi dimensional professional career. After graduating from New York University, she landed a record deal with her band, Ceremony. She performed for audiences worldwide, as a co-lead singer, along with Chaz Bono. After working with the band for a decade, she became a Senior Producer at the E! Entertainment Network. Heidi has also co-authored a health book titled 3 Minutes to a Pain- Free Life (Simon & Schuster, 2006) and a wine guide titled Winecology (Globe Pequot Press, 2012). Heidi is a writer for the Huffington Post Gay Voices and hosts ``The Shink Tank: Politics for the People'' on CBS radio and LATALKLIVE. I ask all Members to join me in honoring a truly remarkable woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Heidi Shink.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. I would like to recognize an exceptional woman, Nyla Arslanian of Los Feliz, California, who is one of the strongest advocates for the arts in the city of Los Angeles, as well as a pioneer in the cultural tourism movement in the city. Ms. Arslanian is the editor of Discover Hollywood Magazine, now in its 27th year, whose mission is to inform visitors and residents alike, about the unique culture and lore of Hollywood. Nyla is married to Oscar Arslanian, who is her partner in their entertainment management and publishing firm, Arslanian & Associates, Inc. In addition to publishing Discover Hollywood Magazine, they represent performers Chris Montez, Fabian, Johnny Tillotson and Kathy Young. Since 1984, Nyla has served as the President of the Hollywood Arts Council, creating several programs such as the Children's Festival of the Arts and the Charlie Awards Luncheon, which is held annually. Through her unparalleled leadership, the Council has brought the arts to more than 15,000 elementary school children, and over 70,000 people who have attended the Children's Festival, which is also an annual event. Nyla has served on numerous boards including the Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, and now serves on the board of the Los Feliz Improvement Association. She has received many well-deserved honors, including the Buddy Collette Award, the Award of Excellence by the Women's Club of Hollywood, and the Hollywood Star Award, which she received with her husband. I ask all Members to join me today in honoring an outstanding woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Nyla Arslanian, for her exceptional service to the community.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. Today, I want to acknowledge and recognize the exemplary work of Rosie Betanzos, who is widely known as a vibrant member of the Echo Park community. Born and raised in Echo Park, Rosie is happily married to her husband, Ceasar Betanzos, and they have two children. After Rosie's establishment of the Echo Park Improvement Association in 1988, which was the first crime prevention organization in Echo Park, crime was reduced by 80 percent as a result of community involvement. Rosie has served as a Top Peer Counselor for John Marshall High School and has been involved with the Los Angeles Police Stop-In- Location volunteer unit in Echo Park. In 2009, Rosie coordinated and directed the Echo Park Lotus Festival. Currently, Rosie serves as a Board Member of the Los Angeles Police Department's Northeast Area Community Police Advisory Board. She also coordinates and directs an annual block party representing the Northeast Police Station, and serves as a Board Officer of the Echo Park Chamber of Commerce, where she coordinates the Taste of Echo Park fundraiser. Rosie is also the owner of the Echo Park Trading Post, and is influential as a coach and mentor in business consulting in business decor and customer service. I ask all Members to join me today in honoring an outstanding woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Rosie Betanzos, for her exceptional service and continuous dedication to the community.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. Today, I proudly recognize the outstanding work and contributions of Stephanie Vendig of Silver Lake, California. Although retired, Stephanie continuously directs her efforts towards giving back to her community through her advocacy and exceptional leadership. Ms. Vendig attended the University of California, Berkeley, where she graduated with a B.A. in 1959. In addition to credentials to teach the disabled and elementary school students, she continued her education and received a Master's degree in Early Childhood Education from the California State University, Northridge. Stephanie started her teaching career in San Francisco, and began teaching the disabled when she moved to Los Angeles. In addition, Stephanie became involved with the Los Angeles Unified School District's Division of Special Education as a consultant, where she trained special education teachers and developed programs serving young children with special needs. In 1980, Stephanie joined the Youth and Family Center which provides services for parenting and pregnant teens, and retired from the agency in 1996 as Interim Executive Director. Stephanie has also served as President of the Silver Lake Senior Club, which is now the Griffith Park Adult Community Club, GPACC, and has been a steadfast advocate for senior citizens. Currently, Stephanie is involved in program development at GPACC, where she is chairing a committee to advocate for the expansion of their facility, since they are outgrowing their current facility. Furthermore, she is a columnist for the Los Feliz Ledger, and serves as a Board Member of the Silver Lake Improvement Association. I ask all Members to join me today in honoring an outstanding woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Stephanie Vendig, for her exceptional, unwavering, and tireless support and service to the community.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. Today, I rise to commend Dr. Armine G. Hacopian of Glendale, California, whose tireless efforts have benefited her community and beyond. Dr. Hacopian moved to the United States at the age of sixteen. It was evident that she was committed to receiving a higher education, and keeping the promise she made to her ailing father, an Armenian Genocide survivor, who did not have the opportunity to receive a formal education. Her father continuously reminded his children, including Armine, about the importance of learning, and Armine attended Alhambra High School, went on to receive a B.A. in Art Education, two M.A.s in Art Education and Supervision and Administrative Services from Cal State University, Los Angeles, and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership. Armine's unparalleled commitment to education has benefited many. In 2001, Armine was elected to the Glendale Community College Board of Trustees, where she is currently serving as the Board President. Through her hard work, dedication, and support of her co-trustees, the Glendale Community College-Garfield Campus construction plan received an additional two million dollars in funding. In addition, she was instrumental in helping pass a $98 million dollar bond measure for capital improvements at Glendale Community College. For the past two decades, Armine has assisted many girls and women who have been victims of rape and domestic abuse with finding safe homes. Many of these women eventually landed on the path of a successful career, and to this very day, keep in touch with Armine to inform her of their new accomplishments. Armine has also served as department chair, counselor, teacher and as coordinator of the Even Start Family Literacy program, through which she was able to work closely with Head Start and provide parenting classes. She was also an ESL, English as a Second Language, specialist, where she helped teachers improve their skills as they worked with students whose primary language was not English. Armine is also a consultant in the areas of sexual harassment prevention, career transitions and communication and conflict management. I ask all Members to join me in honoring a remarkable woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Dr. Armine G. Hacopian, for her exceptional service to the community.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. I would like to recognize an exceptional woman, Grace Yoo of Los Angeles, California, whose tireless efforts have benefited her community and beyond. Grace received a B.A. in political science from the University of California, Riverside, and is a graduate of Seton Hall University School of Law. Ms. Yoo is the Executive Director of the Korean American Coalition in Los Angeles, KAC, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, which represents the interests of the Korean American community in the Los Angeles area. She is very involved in working with a diverse set of communities throughout Los Angeles, where she helps mediate differences and fosters awareness of the needs of the Korean American community. Grace is a certified mediator, who works with leaders of every cultural background to resolve tension and conflict and bring about a more harmonious Los Angeles. Grace is also involved in international efforts to help refugees and through ``Topple Hunger in North Korea'', T.H.I.N.K., a KAC run program, she became deeply involved in the North Korea Child Welfare Act. This Act was signed into law on January 13, 2013, by President Obama. Prior to her career with KAC, Grace served as the Executive Director of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association. Along with being a successful career woman, Grace has been a selfless volunteer for several organizations since her high school days. Her volunteer work includes being active in several professional organizations to increase racial and ethnic diversity in the law and being a driver for SAFE RIDES. In 2008, Ms. Yoo was nominated by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to serve as a Los Angeles City Commissioner for the Department of Transportation. Currently, she serves as the President of the BOB Fund for Children. I ask all Members to join me today in honoring an outstanding woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Grace Yoo, for her exceptional service to the community.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. I would like to recognize an exceptional woman, Mary Gant, of La Crescenta, California, a true leader in the La Crescenta-Montrose and La Canada Flintridge communities. Mary was active in the Mountain Avenue Elementary School Parent Teacher Association, PTA, in La Crescenta, receiving their Honorary Service Award, and the Rosemont Middle School PTA in La Crescenta, serving as President, where she was honored with the PTA Continuing Service Award. Well-known throughout the area for her energetic, friendly and positive attitude, Mary has organized many key events for various charitable organizations. She coordinated the silent auction for the La Canada Flintridge Chamber of Commerce's annual meetings, was a Chamber Ambassador and serves on the city's Fiesta Days parade committee every year. A driving force in many Kiwanis Club of La Canada projects, Mary co-founded the ``Wine and Gourmet Food Tasting'' event in coordination with the La Canada Flintridge Educational Endowment Fund, and helped with the Kiwanis Club's Soap Box Derby event registration process for many years. Ms. Gant was also President of the La Canada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Association, served on the fund-raising committee for the Crescenta-Canada Family YMCA and assists with the YMCA's Annual Prayer Breakfast. Mary is devoted to her church, the La Crescenta Presbyterian Church. She served as a Sunday School Superintendent and teacher, was active in the Youth Program, is on the Personnel Committee and is an ordained Deacon and Elder. Some of the awards Ms. Gant has received include the Kiwanis Club of La Canada's Distinguished Service Award, the Gil Smith Award, and the La Canadan of the Year Award. In addition she received the Chamber's Volunteer of the Year Award and the Les Tupper Community Service Award from the La Canada Flintridge Coordinating Council. I ask all Members to join me in honoring a truly remarkable woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Mary Gant.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. I would like to recognize an exceptional woman, Mel Culpepper of Los Angeles, who for many years has worked with non-profit organizations and has made a profound impact on the families in our community. Ms. Culpepper has served as the Executive Director of the Boys and Girls Club of Hollywood, BGCH, since 2007, where she manages the Club's annual budget, spearheads fundraising efforts, and serves as the liaison to government and community agencies. During her time as Executive Director, Mel has introduced development strategies and cost- saving concepts that have greatly contributed to the success of the organization. Prior to Ms. Culpepper's work for the BGCH, she worked as Director of Residential Treatment Services for Stanford Home for Children in Sacramento, where she managed the budget and developed new programs for children with mental illnesses. Prior to that, she served as the Executive Director of the Central YMCA of San Francisco. Mel has contributed to our community by creating partnerships and relationships with other Hollywood businesses, non-profit organizations and individuals, which benefit the Club and its members and the community. For example, she created a partnership with the Hollywood Community Housing Corporation, HCHC, and collaborated on a successful plan to shuttle HCHC children from their housing units to the BGCH for after-school programming. Today, the BGCH provides free annual BGCH membership, free year-round shuttling to and from HCHC facilities, and free hot lunches and snacks. In addition, these at-risk children receive tutoring, computer training, and homework assistance. Another partnership Mel created involved Ross Dress for Less, which provided clothes, shoes, and supplies to members of the Club for the 2010-2011 school year. Additionally, Mel partnered with Toyota of Hollywood for an annual holiday Toy Drive, and as a result of this partnership, Toyota donated a portion of their December sales to the BGCH. I ask all Members to join me today in honoring an outstanding woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Mel Culpepper, for her exceptional service to the community.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. Today, I stand to laud the tireless efforts of Paula Devine of Glendale, California. Upon her retirement from a 33-year teaching career, Paula remains a vibrant member of the Glendale community, where she volunteers as a women's advocate. Paula's accomplishments in the community are many. She has served on the City of Glendale Commission on the Status of Women for seven years, where she has been both Vice Chair and Chairperson. Through her unparalleled leadership, the Commission has not only gained great status in the community, but has also raised significant funds through fundraisers and grants to support their programs. With the support of her colleagues, Paula developed a program called ``Commission Status Rescue,'' which provides annual funds to the Glendale Police Department for offering temporary emergency shelter to individuals who have been victims of domestic violence. Paula is a member of the Board of Directors of Glendale Healthy Kids and the Glendale Police Foundation, and a member of the Advisory Board of both the Glendale Adventist Medical Center and the Desi Geestman Foundation, which raises funds to help families deal with financial burdens while their children are receiving cancer treatment at the City of Hope in Duarte. In addition to her leadership roles, Paula is a dedicated member and volunteer for organizations such as the Glendale Historical Society, Soroptimist of Glendale, Women's Civic League, and the Glendale Latino Association. Paula has been an influential member of the Bully Me Not Coalition and the Safe Family Task Force, and has worked on creating a Teen Dating Violence Curriculum in the Glendale secondary schools. I ask all Members to join me today in honoring an outstanding woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Paula Devine, for her exceptional service to the community.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. I would like to recognize Rahla Hall Lindsey of La Canada Flintridge, an extraordinary leader, educator and volunteer in her community. Rahla earned her B.A. in Speech Communication, M.A. in Cross- Cultural Communication, Secondary Teaching Credential in Speech and English from California State University, Los Angeles and her Ph.D. in Organizational Communication from the University of Southern California (USC). Her diverse professional career has included being Vice- President, U.S. Region, for the AFS International Intercultural Programs, the administrator of Broadview nursing facility, a volunteer instructor at the Center for Nonprofit Management, the Executive Director of the YWCA of Glendale, a teacher at Elderhostel, and a professor at USC's School of Public Administration and School of Policy, Planning and Development. Currently she is the president and a consultant for RHall and Associates. In her volunteer career, Ms. Lindsey broke barriers as the first female President of the Verdugo Hills Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and first female member of Rotary International's Glendale Chapter. She has served on numerous committees and boards, including California Literacy, Inc., the City of La Canada Flintridge Foothill Boulevard Design Options Committee, Assistance League of Flintridge, Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Organizing Committee, La Canada Flintridge Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) and the U.S. Air Force Academy Parent Support Group. Currently, she is active in the Rotary Club of Crescenta-Canada, Verdugo Hills Council of the Boy Scouts of America, Los Angeles County Bar Association as a volunteer lay arbitrator, First Church of Christ, Scientist, and a reader to second grade students at Richardson D. White Elementary School, where she is known to the children as ``Gramma Rahla.'' Rahla has received many well-deserved honors, including the 2001 James E. West Fellow and 2006 Silver Beaver Service Award from the Boy Scouts of America and the 2009 Continuing Service Award from Richardson D. White Elementary School. I ask all Members to join me in honoring a truly remarkable woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Rahla Hall Lindsey.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our Nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my congressional district. I would like to recognize an exceptional woman, Sylvia Sutton of Burbank, California, who for many years, has been educating our community about the Holocaust and other human rights violations. Sylvia received her B.A. in Psychology from UCLA and her MBA in Marketing and Program Management from West Coast University. Sylvia's early community efforts included volunteering on the David Starr Jordan Middle School Parent Teacher Association (PTA), and the William McKinley Elementary School PTA, where she received an Honorary Life Membership Award, and as a Girl Scout Leader. Ms. Sutton's volunteer activities have included the American Association of University Women (AAUW), Burbank Branch, where she served as President, the UCLA Alumni Scholarship Committee, and the League of Women Voters, Glendale/Burbank. Currently, she is the liaison between the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council and the City of Burbank, the Coordinator and Presenter of the annual Burbank Days of Remembrance Commemoration of the Holocaust, and has been the presenter of Holocaust speakers in the eighth and tenth grade classrooms of every Burbank middle and high school since 1991. Sylvia is also a volunteer at the Skirball Cultural Center, as well as the Parliamentarian on the Burbank Coordinating Council. In addition, she works as the secretary for Temple Beth Emet of Burbank. Sylvia has received a number of accolades for her extensive community service, including the Burbank City 1999 Outstanding Senior Volunteer Award, the 1998 Zonta Woman of the Year for Cultural Awareness Award, and the 1991 Burbank Human Relations Council Distinguished Service Award. I ask all Members to join me in honoring a truly remarkable woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Sylvia Sutton.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay special recognition to Bolton Hall in Tujunga, California as it celebrates its one-hundredth anniversary. Shortly after the turn of the century, the Glorietta Heights area of Rancho Tujunga came to the attention of Marshall Hartranft, a land developer who engaged William E. Smythe to publicize the upper slopes of the area. Mr. Smythe was the founder of the ``Little Lands'' movement, a utopian movement that believed that families settling on an acre or two of land could support themselves and prosper. Settlement of the lots by Smythe's ``Little Landers'' began in 1913 and in April of that year, Marshall Hartranft donated land and financed construction of Bolton Hall for the new colony. The edifice was designed by ``Nature Builder'' George Harris, who used rocks gathered from local hillsides and the Tujunga Wash to create a building that harmonized beautifully with its setting between the Verdugo Hills and the San Gabriel mountains. The structure was first called The Clubhouse, but was later named in honor of Smythe's friend, author Bolton Hall. Dedicated in August 1913, the hall quickly became the center of all community activities, including church services, dances, town meetings, socials, and the San Fernando Valley's second library. Though the ``Little Lands'' movement declined by 1920, Bolton Hall continued to serve the community, becoming Tujunga's City Hall and town jail after the town was incorporated in 1925. Following the annexation of the city to Los Angeles in 1932, Bolton Hall housed Los Angeles' Department of Building and Safety as well as its Health Department and local police. The city eventually built a new municipal building, and the old stone structure was boarded up in 1957. For the next twenty years, members of the newly-formed Little Landers Historical Society and others fought to save the historic building from demolition and worked toward restoration. Starr Von Fluss, past president of the Little Landers Historical Society served as campaign chairwoman to raise funds for the restoration. With the acquisition of additional funds by Roberta Stewart and L.A. City Councilman Robert Ronka, the campaign to save and restore the building was a success, with restoration work beginning in February of 1980 and its official re-opening celebration held on June 27, 1981. Today artifacts, photographs, documents and memorabilia of Sunland, Tujunga and the foothill areas are displayed, ranging historically from the village of the Tongva Indians, through the Mission and Mexican Land Grant periods, to the development of Sunland Tujunga and the rescue of Bolton Hall. The building also serves as the office for the Little Landers Historical Society. Along with John Steven McGroarty's home, now the McGroarty Cultural Art Center, Bolton Hall is one of ten historical monuments in the Sunland Tujunga area and is also included in the National Register of Historic Places. I ask all Members of Congress to join me today in recognizing Bolton Hall's historical importance and celebrating its one-hundredth anniversary.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, this week marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the pogrom against people of Armenian descent in the town of Sumgait, Azerbaijan. The three-day massacre in the winter of 1988 resulted in the deaths of scores of Armenians, many of whom were burnt to death after being brutally beaten and tortured. Hundreds of others were wounded. Women and girls were brutally raped. The carnage created thousands of ethnic Armenian refugees, who had to leave everything behind to be looted or destroyed, including their homes, cars and businesses. These crimes, which were proceeded by a wave of anti-Armenian rallies throughout Azerbaijan, were never adequately prosecuted by Azerbaijan authorities. Many who organized or participated in the bloodshed have gone on to serve in high positions on the Azeri government. For example, in the days leading up to the massacre, a leader of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan, Hidayat Orujev, warned Armenians in Sumgait: ``If you do not stop campaigning for the unification of Nagorno Karabakh with Armenia, if you don't sober up, 100,000 Azeris from neighboring districts will break into your houses, torch your apartments, rape your women, and kill your children.'' In a cruel twist, Orujev went on serve as Azerbaijan's State Advisor for Ethnic Policy and later as head of State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations. The Sumgait massacres led to wider reprisals against Azerbaijan's ethnic minority, resulting in the virtual disappearance of Azerbaijan's 450,000-strong Armenian community, and culminating in the war launched against the people of Nagorno Karabakh. That war resulted in almost 30,000 dead on both sides and created more than one million refugees in both Armenia and Azerbaijan. In the years since the fighting ended, the people of Artsakh, the region's ancestral name, have struggled to build a functioning democratic state in the midst of unremitting hostility and threats from Azerbaijan, as well as sniper fire and other incursions across the Line of Contact between the two sides. Hatred towards Armenians is both inculcated and celebrated in Azeri youth, as exemplified by the case of Ramil Safarov, an Azerbaijani army captain who had confessed to the savage 2004 axe murder of Armenian army lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan, while the latter slept. At the time, the two were participating in a NATO Partnership for Peace exercise in Budapest, Hungary. After the murder, Safarov was sentenced to life in prison by a Hungarian court and imprisoned in Hungary. Last August Safarov was sent home to Azerbaijan, purportedly to serve out the remainder of his sentence. Instead of prison, he was greeted as a hero by the Azeri government and promenaded through the streets of Baku carrying a bouquet of roses. President Ilham Aliyev immediately pardoned Safarov and he was promoted to the rank of major and given a new apartment and eight years of back pay. In recent weeks, 75-year-old Akram Aylisli, one of Azerbaijan's most celebrated writers, has been subjected to a campaign of hatred. According to a report in the BBC, '[h]is books have been publicly burnt. He has been stripped of his national literary awards. And a high-ranking Azeri politician has offered $13,000 as a bounty for anyone who will cut off his ear. Aylisi's 'crime?'-- in his short novel Stone Dreams, he dared to look at the conflict between Azeris and Armenians from the Armenian perspective. With these disgusting acts, the Azeri state reminded the whole world why the people of Artsakh must be allowed to determine their own future and cannot be allowed to slip into Aliyev's clutches, lest the carnage of Sumgait a quarter century ago serve as a foreshadowing of a greater slaughter.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a constituent and philanthropist, George Aratani, who passed away last week. Mr. Aratani was part of the Greatest Generation, and served his country as a member of the Military Intelligence Service, or MIS, during World War II. His service came at a time when tens of thousands of his fellow Japanese Americans were interned in camps scattered in the Western United States. He chose to serve and defend America with no guarantee that his own freedom would be defended in return. I was proud to work to ensure that MIS members like George Aratani and all of the Go for Broke veterans received the credit and thanks they were due through the Congressional Gold Medal. When he returned home, Mr. Aratani started and ran several businesses, and dedicated himself to Japanese American educational and cultural causes, including the Go for Broke veterans' memorial and foundation. George Aratani had a profound impact on our country and on his community, and he will be terribly missed.