Adam Schiff

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in expressing my support for renewed efforts to find a peaceful, just, and lasting settlement to the Cyprus problem. Such a resolution is consonant with American values of promoting stability, freedom, and democracy around the globe. I strongly support a unified Cyprus. I am disappointed that the recent historic opportunity to resolve the Cyprus issue has failed, despite the hard work of United Nations Secretary Kofi Annan over the last several years, to bring the parties together and to facilitate an agreement. I am disturbed that today, some 35,000 Turkish soldiers, armed with the latest weapons, are still stationed in the occupied area of Cyprus, making it, according to the United Nations Secretary-General, one of the most militarized regions in the world. At an estimated cost of $300 million annually, Turkey continues to defy the international community and the U.N. resolutions with its policies towards Cyprus. Eighty-five thousand Turks have been brought over from Turkey to colonize the occupied area with the aim of changing the demography of the island and controlling the political situation. The Greek Cypriot community that remains enclaved within the occupied villages continues to live under conditions of oppression, harassment, and deprivation. Mr. Speaker, the United States has a national interest in fostering peace and stability in the eastern Mediterranean region. We as a Nation cannot continue to pretend our NATO partner is not in clear violation of international law for its continued illegal occupation of its neighbor. We in the United States pride ourselves for our respect for fundamental freedoms. Human rights norms are the cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy. It is time, Mr. Speaker, for Turkey to end its longstanding occupation of Cyprus. Despite recent setbacks, I am still optimistic that the Cyprus situation can be peacefully and amicably resolved.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding the time to me. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on the rule for H.R. 6 and, in particular, an amendment made in order by that rule, and that is the Markey-Johnson amendment to prohibit drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. I strongly oppose drilling in the refuge, one of our Nation's most treasured places. The coastal plain is a priceless piece of American wilderness that has been set aside for future generations in recognition of its unique wildlife values. We should not steer our energy policy to drilling in this remote wilderness area, the biological heart of the refuge, home to caribou, polar bears, grizzlies, musk oxen, and migratory birds. Drilling in ANWR would be extremely shortsighted. The scant amount of oil we would wring from this pristine area, estimated by the U.S. Geological Survey to be the amount the U.S. consumes in just 6 months, would cause irreparable damage to the area. By drilling there, we would set a dangerous precedent that no wilderness is sacred. There is an even more important reason to oppose drilling in ANWR, and that is because ANWR is merely the most graphic example of the wrong-headed nature of our energy policy. We cannot drill our way out of our energy dependence. We cannot drill our way out of our dependence on foreign sources of oil. I believe in the American entrepreneur. I believe in that spirit. I believe in our ability to develop technologies that will dramatically reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. Many of those technologies already exist. Many of them are on our roads. They have just to be incentivized, to be cultivated and developed further. The biggest lost opportunity of this administration has been the failure to set a goal for this country of cutting our dependence on fossil fuels in half in the next decade. This would wean us from foreign oil. This would clear our air, and this would preserve once and for all the sacred places like ANWR.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the DNA Database Enhancement Act--legislation that will expand and improve the use of DNA analysis in criminal investigations. As a former federal prosecutor, I recognize what a powerful tool the use of DNA profiles has become in solving crimes. In 1998, the FBI created a system of DNA profile indexes, the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), to allow participating forensic laboratories to compare DNA profiles with the goal of matching case evidence to other previously unrelated cases or to persons already convicted of specific crimes. This database contains about 1.3 million DNA samples and has yielded more than 6,000 matches in criminal investigations. Previously, federal law required that a state collect for analysis DNA samples from persons convicted of a felony of a sexual nature. However, the collection of samples from other felons is currently dependent entirely upon state law. The DNA Database Enhancement Act would broaden this collection requirement to include all individuals convicted of violent felonies. In order to facilitate crime solving and information sharing among local and state law enforcement agencies, my bill would also expand CODIS by permitting states to upload collected DNA samples to the national database. In Virginia, law enforcement is authorized to collect DNA samples from suspects being charged with violent crimes and other felonies. This has yielded tremendous results, with forensic officials making their 1,000th ``cold hit'' last year by matching a rape suspect to a 2001 sexual assault case. Finally, this legislation will increase the effectiveness of DNA databases in crime solving by ensuring that law enforcement can compare DNA samples with CODIS. While most states already run comparisons on collected samples, some states have restrictions on how and when samples can be compared. This bill will increase the effectiveness of DNA databases in crime solving by removing restrictions that impede the comparison of DNA samples against established DNA databases. Where DNA is given voluntarily or obtained by law enforcement in a lawful manner, law enforcement should be able to compare those samples with CODIS. Recently, the Department of Justice announced a proposal to spend more than $1 billion over the next five years on DNA analysis in criminal cases. This plan, originally introduced in the Administration's 2004 budget proposal, involves a significant expansion of the FBI's DNA database. The FBI has also announced plans to request authorization to obtain pre-conviction DNA samples from states that currently collect such samples, such as Virginia, Louisiana, and Texas. These joint proposals would dramatically improve the ability to match samples recovered at crime scenes. With similar goals in mind, my legislation, the DNA Database Enhancement Act, will make important changes to ensure that law enforcement can fully utilize the powerful tool of DNA analysis in solving crimes.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, 88 years ago, Armenian teachers, clergy, businessmen, writers and doctors were rounded up and killed. The events of April 24, 1915, set the stage for the first genocide of the 20th century, the extermination of more than 1.5 million Armenian men, women and children at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. With one of the largest Armenian expatriate communities in the world, April 24 has become an integral part of America's history--but debate over the genocide is still an annual and bitter conflict. Even though modern-day Turkey was established in 1923 out of the ashes of the Ottoman Empire and was not the actual perpetrator of genocide, it spends millions of dollars each year to fight recognition of the Genocide. Despite this well-funded effort, there is no serious academic dispute about the Armenian Genocide. Our own National Archives houses diplomatic dispatches that vividly describe the systematic destruction of an entire people. News accounts from the American press also provide a trove of primary source evidence. Headlines, such as the following from the New York Times, describe the horrors: ``Armenian Officials Murdered by Turks,'' ``Appeal to Turkey to Stop Massacres,'' ``Tales of Armenian Horrors Confirmed,'' ``Wholesale Massacres of Armenians by Turks,'' ``Armenians Are Sent To Perish in Desert,'' ``Turks Depopulate Towns of Armenia,'' ``Million Armenians Killed or In Exile,'' and ``The death of Armenia.'' When the Armenian Genocide occurred, the heinous crime had no name. In denouncing what he was witness to, our own U.S. Ambassador Henry Morgenthau chose the words ``race murder'' to describe the atrocities. Raphael Lemkin, an International law scholar, ultimately coined the term genocide in 1944. As a Polish attorney, Lemkin was appalled by the Turkish atrocities against the Armenians and tried to get European statesmen to criminalize the destruction of ethnic and religious groups. He was dismissed as an alarmist. Years later, when Hitler invaded Poland, Lemkin lost 49 family members in the Holocaust. Landing as a refugee on American shores, Lemkin resolved to devise a word to convey the evil under way. In 1944, while working for the U.S. war department, he invented the term ``genocide''--citing the Armenian case as an example. In 1948, in the shadow of the Holocaust, the international community responded to Nazi Germany's methodically orchestrated acts of genocide by approving the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. The Convention confirms that genocide is a crime under international law and defines genocide as actions committed with the intent to destroy a national, ethnic, racial or religious group. The United States, under President Harry Truman, was the first nation to sign the Convention. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed an Act that implemented the Convention and criminalized genocide under U.S. law--putting the United States on record as being strongly opposed to the heinous crime of genocide. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the signing of that convention. I will soon introduce a resolution, along with my colleague Mr. Radanovich and several other Members of Congress, that recognizes this important step taken by the United States 15 years ago, to ensure that the lessons of the Holocaust, the Armenian Genocide, and the genocides in Cambodia and Rwanda, among others, will not be forgotten. Euphemisms, vague terminology or calls for more discussions are just some of the dodges used to avoid Turkish discomfort with its Ottoman past. There is nothing to discuss, there is nothing to discover, there is nothing to be gained by denial--but there is much to be lost. Let us not minimize the deliberate murder of 1.5 million Armenians. Let us not equivocate. Let us not temporize. Let us instead pay homage to the memory of those innocent victims and honor the courage of the survivors. Let us call genocide, genocide.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to announce the introduction of a piece of legislation that will provide an e-government solution to the complicated process of signing kids up for health insurance, the SCHIP Web-Based Enrollment Act of 2003. This bill provides a simple, targeted method for expanding access to children's health care by giving States the flexibility they need to implement web-based enrollment programs for SCHIP. The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 established the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), a program that allows States to cover uninsured children in families with incomes that are above Medicaid eligibility levels. Like Medicaid, SCHIP is a Federal-State matching program, but spending has fallen well below allotment levels for a variety of reasons. One of the most striking reasons is that States have had difficulty enrolling enough children to meet the allotment standards. Enrollment in SCHIP has involved lots of redtape, and the complexity of the application has discouraged families from signing up. To address this problem, States are beginning to utilize new technology and the Internet to streamline enrollment in SCHIP and Medicaid. This new technology has enabled States to reduce program enrollment time, improve accuracy, increase access for applicants, and centralize social service applications in State government. States that have launched or are planning to launch web-based enrollment in SCHIP include: California, Arizona, Florida, Michigan, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington. While web-based enrollment is promising, many States are challenged by high start-up costs. This bill would provide States with more flexibility to use their Federal SCHIP funds for this kind of activity, and would create a grant program to help States promote web-based enrollment. The SCHIP Web-Based Enrollment Act of 2003 meets these objectives in the following ways: First, it would allow States to use unused, ``retained'' (redistributed from the Federal Government back to the State) SCHIP money for this effort. Under current law, a State may use up to 10 percent of retained 1998 allotments for outreach activities approved by the Secretary. The bill adds an additional provision under that section that allows States to use any amount of their retained funds for web- based enrollment outreach. Second, the bill establishes a separate grant program, allowing States to apply for additional funds (separate from SCHIP money) for this purpose. The grant program would make $50 million available over 5 years, and grants would be subject to a match rate. The match rate would be tied to their SCHIP match rate, but States would be eligible for up to 20 percent more than their rate, not to exceed 90 percent. Finally, this legislation provides assistance to States from HHS for development and implementation of the web-based enrollment system by providing information and technical assistance. There are 9 million uninsured children in the United States. In fact, a child is born without health insurance every minute in this country. We must do everything we can to make it easier for families to enroll children in the health insurance programs available to them. I believe that this bill will provide the necessary means to help states expand enrollment in SCHIP. I urge my Colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, this afternoon I want to recognize the patriotism of our men and women of the Armed Forces who, halfway around the world in Afghanistan, in Iraq, and elsewhere, are in harm's way. They are brave, they care deeply about this country, so deeply they would lay down their lives for it, and have. This is worth our reflection as we gather here in the comfort of this Chamber, air-conditioned on a hot day. We should take a moment to think about our troops, to stand in their boots, and to give our thanks. Our soldiers deserve our unqualified support, and in Congress we must do everything we can to make sure they have it, whatever they need to do their job, to do it quickly, to do it with a minimum loss of life, and to come home safely. Whether they are in Basra, Baghdad, Bagram, or Afghanistan, we stand by our troops. War is cruel. Innocent lives are lost, families are devastated. We cannot but turn on the television to see graphically the horrors of war; some of our soldiers dying or dead, the loss of innocent civilian lives, some by errant bombs, others by the deliberate murder of Saddam's regime as it fired on those in the street. What we do not often recognize, because it is not thrust in our living rooms or our consciousness, is another terrible truth that peace, too, can be cruel. The peace of Rwanda, where millions died as the world watched. The peace of Kosovo, where tens of thousands were ethnically cleansed before we acted without the approval of the United Nations. And the peace of Baghdad, too, was cruel. The peace of torture and rape, of starvation and repression, of a failed sanctions regime that Hussein used cynically to kill his own people. That, too, is cruel. And lastly, the peace of September 10 was cruel, holding the promise of a long and precious life for 3,000 Americans who would not live out the week. Americans who oppose the war have many important points to make but must resist the temptation to merely attack the administration uncritically or nonconstructively, or to defend in any manner the indefensible regime of Saddam Hussein. The failure to disarm Iraq peacefully, notwithstanding 17 resolutions of the United Nations, was not alone the United States' responsibility. It was a failure of the world body, of the United Nations, of the collective security of mankind. Despite the intoxicating simplicity of the argument, the war in Iraq is not about American desire for oil, though our dependence on it is far too great. It is not about contracts for the French, although contracts they have. And it is not about debt to the Russians, although billions they are owed. Rather, it is about the post-Cold War failure to erect an edifice upon which the peace of the world can be built. And this problem, without our genuine reflection and determined effort, if left unattended and ignored, if lost in the dilution of a simpler answer, may mean that Iraq is only the second in a long line of future conflicts. When the war is over, more hard work lies ahead. We must not only rebuild the Nation of Iraq for the Iraqi people, but we must rebuild the institutions of the world community which have been devastated by the last few months of fractious debate at the United Nations. These two tasks, to restore Iraq and to restore the collective security apparatus of the world, must go hand in hand. Indeed, we need the one to help repair the other. The United Nations must play the pivotal role in the provision of food and medicine to the Iraqi people and assist in the administration of Iraq until that troubled land becomes a self- governing nation. Many have argued that democracy is incompatible with the traditions and tribal rivalries of the Iraqi people, or that a nation drawn artificially together on a map must tear if not held together by the noxious glue of tyranny. We must not have such low aspirations for the Iraqi people who have great talents that have not been allowed to flourish, and we must never indulge in the prejudice that any people are less capable, less suited, or less deserving of democracy. Democracy is the institutional reflection of the God-given rights of liberty, belief, and expression. Democracy must be nurtured beyond Iraq and Afghanistan. We must be unstinting in our support for democratic movements in authoritarian nations. Democracy must come not only to our adversaries but to our allies as well, to the Saudis, to the Egyptians, and to Jordan. We must work to open these closed societies and closed economies to free the creative tall talents of their peoples, to lift the standard of living and expose the germ of terrorism to the cleansing power of opportunity.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Dominic Polimeni who will retire from the San Gabriel City Council after 13 years of service to the city and community. Born May 23, 1940, in Dunmore, PA, Dominic Polimeni was raised and educated in Buffalo, NY. He attended the University of Buffalo and graduated from Bryant and Stratton Business Institute. A 31-year resident of San Gabriel, Mayor Polimeni was elected to the San Gabriel City Council in April, 1990. Reflecting a team spirit approach and courteous respect for others, Mayor Polimeni's example encouraged a cohesive city council whose collective objective is to put San Gabriel first in order to accomplish community and regional goals. Dominic Polimeni's city council highlights include building municipal economic reserves, creation of an Economic Redevelopment Agency, revitalization of the historic San Gabriel Mission District, implementation of the $5 million Millennium Miles Program to rehabilitate San Gabriel's streets, seismic and ADA retrofitting of City Hall, restoration of the legendary San Gabriel Civic Auditorium, the three-acre Smith Park Expansion Project, created ordinances and supported public safety and other department programs to improve the quality of life for San Gabriel residents. An active member of the San Gabriel community, he has supported and participated in the creation of exciting, fun-filled programs and events to educate and communicate the unique story that is San Gabriel and celebrate San Gabriel's diversity such as the Alhambra-San Gabriel Lunar New Year Parade and Festival, Christmas in April, Three-day San Gabriel Birthday & Festival, California History Day, Mission District Mercado, National Night Out, and Kids Day. Dominic Polimeni retired from the County of Los Angeles as Administrator of Alhambra Municipal Court in 1996 after a distinguished career spanning 36 years. Mayor Polimeni and his wife Barbara, will celebrate 39 years of marriage this year, and have three children and five grandchildren. I ask all Members of Congress to join me today in congratulating Dominic Polimeni on a truly exemplary professional and public service career, and for his dedication and unwavering commitment to the city of San Gabriel.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Sabino Cici who will retire from the San Gabriel City Council after 25 years of service to the city and community. Sabino was elected to the San Gabriel City Council in 1978, and appointed Mayor four times. Sabino Cici has been a business owner in the San Gabriel community for 32 years. Throughout his professional and public service career, Councilman Sabino Cici has been an enthusiastic, committed leader and participant on numerous community and regional boards. He currently serves as Director of the Los Angeles County Sanitation District, Director of the San Gabriel Valley Animal Control Authority, and Delegate to the League District Attorney's Community Advisory Council. Sabino has also been actively involved with the San Gabriel Chamber of Commerce, Community Hospital Founders Trek, United States Air Force Association, San Gabriel Kiwanis, Italian Catholic Federation, and the Peace Officers Association. Sabino's distinguished list of accomplishments while on the city council include building municipal economic reserves, creation of an Economic Redevelopment Agency, revitalization of the historic San Gabriel Mission District, implementation of the $5 million Millennium Miles Program to rehabilitate San Gabriel's streets, seismic and ADA retrofitting of City Hall, and restoration of the legendary San Gabriel Civic Auditorium. An active member of the San Gabriel community, he has supported and participated in the creation of exciting, fun-filled programs and events to educate and communicate the unique story that is San Gabriel and celebrate San Gabriel's diversity such as the Alhambra-San Gabriel Lunar New Year Parade and Festival, Christmas in April, Three-day San Gabriel Birthday & Festival, California History Day, Mission District Mercado, National Night Out, and Kids Day. Councilman Cici celebrates 12 years of marriage to Kathleen ``Cookie'' Cici. Together the Cici's have six children and four grandchildren. I ask all Members of Congress to join me today in congratulating Sabino Cici on an impressive and long spanning career as city councilman and for his invaluable commitment and involvement in the City of San Gabriel.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Chairman, today I rise to urge my colleagues to support the Blue Dog budget plan, a fiscally responsible proposal that recognizes America's priorities at a time when our country is at war and our Nation is in debt. The budget resolution before us today is seriously flawed. It is a step in the wrong direction that ignores the realities we are facing as a Nation. The Blue Dog budget, on the other hand, recognizes the costs of waging war, addresses the state of our struggling economy, and answers the needs of ordinary Americans across the Nation. As we speak, men and women in uniform are fighting to disarm Iraq and are battling al Qaeda in Afghanistan. Hundreds of thousands are now serving their country after being called up, leaving their jobs and their families, many on short notice and at great financial and personal costs. Our troops are indeed making huge sacrifices. But what about the average American who is not on Active Duty or in the Reserves? How have the rest of us been called upon to make our own contribution to the security and prosperity of the United States? The budget resolution before us includes a host of large tax cuts weighted heavily toward America's wealthiest families. Certainly this cannot be the sacrifice we are expected to make. In every other conflict since the Civil War, the Commander in Chief has called for an increase in revenues to meet the national defense. Will we be the first generation since the Civil War to reduce revenue during wartime? Over the last 2 years we have lost almost 2 million jobs. How can we afford to consider large and long-term cuts that will neither improve our defense, stimulate our economy, nor help those most in need? Many of us who supported tax cuts when we were at peace and enjoying historic surpluses must now oppose any fiscally irresponsible budget with even larger cuts, now that we are at war and spiraling into severe debt. I must ask, where have all the fiscal conservatives gone? Where have they fled from the majority party? In addition to the much-needed stimulus, the Blue Dog plan prioritizes national defense and homeland security. These priorities are fully funded at levels requested by the President. While we provide strong support for our national defense and homeland security, we must not turn our backs on important domestic priorities. The American people are begging for a budget that invests in education, health care, and includes a Medicare prescription drug benefit. The Blue Dog plan responds to Americans across the country and provides a $400 billion plan for prescription drugs over the next 10 years. Mr. Chairman, this plan, the Blue Dog plan, will provide for our defense and homeland security needs, it will provide a vital economic stimulus and sustainable tax relief for ordinary Americans, and the plan will move our country forward with investments in health, education and other domestic priorities. Our plan will accomplish these goals and achieve $2 trillion less in debt than the administration's plan over the next 10 years. Americans are a proud and generous people, more than willing to sacrifice for a worthy cause. If, instead, we give ourselves a gift no other war generation has given themselves, we will denude our ability to defend the homeland, or shift the costs to the next generation.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the accomplishments made by our nation's most distinguished women during the month of March. It is my great honor to recognize extraordinary women who are making a difference in my district. I stand today to recognize an outstanding woman of California's 29th Congressional District, Ms. Jacqueline ``Jacquie'' Fennessy. Over the years, Ms. Fennessy has given selflessly of her time and energy to many different organizations in Altadena, California. A 45-year resident of Altadena, Jacquie and her husband, Dr. William J. Fennessy have five children, William, Brian, Michael, David, Daniel, and twelve grandchildren. As a young mother, she was involved in the Boy Scouts of America, the local Parent Teacher Association and Little League. In 1986, she became the Executive Director for Patron Saints Foundation, a position she currently holds. The foundation is an association that awards charitable grants to non-profit health care organizations in the west San Gabriel Valley. Jacquie has served on the Altadena Town Council since 1992, serving as Chair for three terms. The consummate volunteer, Ms. Fennessy is also a member of the Altadena Chamber of Commerce, Christmas Tree Lane Association, Altadena Heritage and the Altadena Conservancy. Her board memberships include the Sheriff's Support Group of Altadena, Scripps Home, and the Altadena Historical Society. Active in Altadena's libraries, she has been an Altadena Library Board of Trustee member since 1994, serving two terms as President, and a member of Friends of the Altadena Library for nearly forty years. Jacquie has received many awards, including the California Legislature's 44th Assembly District Woman of the Year in 1999, Pasadena Mental Health Association's Community Volunteer of the Year in 1998, and Citizen of the Year in 1998 by the Altadena Chamber of Commerce. The time and energy she gives to our community is truly remarkable, and the greater Altadena area has benefited greatly from her dedicated service. I ask all Members of Congress to join me today in honoring a remarkable woman of California's 29th Congressional District, Jacqueline ``Jacquie'' Fennessy. The entire community joins me in thanking Ms. Fennessy for her continued efforts to make the 29th Congressional District a better place in which to live.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the accomplishments made by our nation's most distinguished women during the month of March. It is my great honor to recognize extraordinary women who are making a difference in my district. I stand today, to pay special recognition to Ms. Dorothy Cohen, an outstanding woman of California's 29th Congressional District. Over the years, Dorothy has been an outspoken advocate for the residents of the city of South Pasadena, California. Ms. Cohen has been a member of the South Pasadena City Council since 1994, serving as Mayor for two terms. Some of her greatest accomplishments on the Council include the re-opening of City Hall five days a week, repainting the city's historic water tower, advocating for a quarterly city newsletter and serving as its editorial advisor for seven years, adoption of the tiger lily as the city flower, and her efforts to preserve the quality of life for the citizens of South Pasadena. Dorothy is a fourth generation Californian and a forty-one year resident of South Pasadena. Prior to her marriage in 1950 to Jerry Cohen, a reporter and features writer for the Los Angeles Times, she was a reporter and television columnist for the San Diego Union Tribune. While raising her children, she worked part-time for fourteen years for the South Pasadena Unified School District. During that time, she actively participated in the South Pasadena Parent Teacher Association and the Girl Scouts of America. A long-time supporter of public libraries, Ms. Cohen was a cofounder of the Friends of the South Pasadena Public Library Bookstore in 1984. She currently serves as the chair of its Steering Committee and volunteers weekly in the bookstore. She is past president of the Friends of the Library, Library Board of Trustees and the League of Women Voters. Dorothy has participated in numerous city task forces over the years, such as the Downtown Revitalization Task Force, the General Plan Advisory Committee, and the Mission Street Specific Plan Committee. Most recently, she co-chaired the Gold Line Railway Station Art and Design Advisory Committee. I ask all Members of Congress to join me today in honoring a remarkable woman of California's 29th Congressional District, Dorothy M. Cohen. The entire community joins me in thanking Ms. Cohen for her continued efforts to make the 29th Congressional District an enhanced place in which to live.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the accomplishments made by our nation's most distinguished women during the month of March. It is my great honor to recognize extraordinary women who are making a difference in my district. I stand today, to pay special recognition to Joan Vizcarra, an outstanding woman of California's 29th Congressional District. Ms. Vizcarra's passion for community service, especially on behalf of education has made the City of Temple City a better place in which to live. Ms. Vizcarra graduated from California State University at Los Angeles, majoring in psychology. Currently a realtor, she is attending the Phillips Graduate Institute taking a graduate program in psychology to obtain her marriage and family therapy license. Joan and her husband, Fernando Vizcarra, a Temple City Councilmember, have been married thirty-four years and have two children, Lara and Erin, and one grandchild. Joan has been a member of the Temple City Unified School District Board of Education for twelve years, including serving on the budget and multicultural subcommittees. She is a board member of the Temple City Educational Foundation and a member of the site committee for Cleveland Elementary School's LEARNS program. In addition, Joan is a member of the California Association of Realtors and is the legislative liaison for the California School Boards Association. Ms. Vizcarra's past volunteer participation includes the Temple City Parent Teacher Association, Campfire Girls, the Arcadia Board of Realtors, the Temple City Kiwanis Club, and various political organizations. The effort and time Joan gives to our community is truly remarkable, and the City of Temple City has benefited greatly from her dedicated service. I ask all Members of Congress to join me today in honoring an extraordinary woman of California's 29th Congressional District, Joan Vizcarra. The entire community joins me in thanking Joan Vizcarra for her efforts.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the accomplishments made by our nation's most distinguished women during the month of March. It is my great honor to recognize extraordinary women who are making a difference in my district. I stand today, to pay special recognition to Ms. Anna Gutierrez, an outstanding woman of California's 29th Congressional District. Over the years, Ms. Gutierrez has given selflessly of her time and energy to many different organizations in the City of Monterey Park and surrounding areas. A forty-three year resident of Monterey Park, California, Anna was a payroll supervisor for Blue Chip Stamps for twenty-five years, and a payroll supervisor for Figgie International for nine years. Despite working full-time, she found time to volunteer at all of her children's schools: Sacred Heart of Mary School, Cantwell High School and Marian School. Besides her children, Dennis, Carolina and Jeffrey, she has four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. After her retirement in 1994, Anna volunteered to serve senior lunches at First Methodist Church and participated in two senior citizen clubs, the Friendship Club and the Senior Affairs Club, both in Montebello, California. Currently she is a member of the Montebello Breakfast Club and treasurer for the Los Angeles Monterey Park (LAMP) Optimist Club. For many years, Anna has been a docent of the Monterey Park Historical Society Museum and is in charge of the school children tour program. She volunteers for the City of Monterey Park as a Commissioner on the Historical Commission and is a Precinct Poll Inspector for citywide elections. In addition, she assists the Monterey Park Police Department by participating with the Monterey Park Senior Citizen Patrol. Of all her activities, the organization that is nearest to her heart is the Maryvale Orphanage in Rosemead, California. An active participant for over eight years, she volunteers in many ways, including fundraising, assisting in rummage sales, and packaging Christmas gifts for the economically disadvantaged. Ms. Gutierrez's breadth of volunteer work is remarkable and all who have the opportunity to work with her are better off for the experience. I ask all Members of Congress to join me today in honoring a remarkable woman of California's 29th Congressional District, Anna Gutierrez. The entire community joins me in thanking Ms. Gutierrez for her continued efforts to make the 29th Congressional District an enhanced place in which to live.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the accomplishments made by our Nation's most distinguished women during the month of March. It is my great honor to recognize extraordinary women who are making a difference in my district. I stand today, to recognize an outstanding woman of California's 29th Congressional District, Ms. Roberta H. Martinez. Ms. Martinez's passion for community volunteerism, especially on behalf of Latino-American history and culture, has made the City of Pasadena a better place to live. Ms. Martinez earned her BA in music, her MA in music history and is a practicing musician. Currently she is narrator and vocalist for the Aztec Stories Project, scheduled to play at the Ford Theater in Los Angeles in the fall of this year. Besides owning her own production company, she is a guest lecturer, historian, and an elementary and middle school substitute teacher. She and her husband, James Grimes, reside in Pasadena, and have two children, Kate and Matthew. Roberta is host/producer of an award-winning cable access television show--Casa Martinez--musica y mas in Pasadena. As a producer, she has worked on many annual projects including the Adelante Mujer Latina conference, Latino Fest, and the Cinco de Mayo celebration. In addition, she is the founder and current Chair of the Latino History Parade and Jamaica. One of the projects Roberta is most proud of is the history project ``The Past Lives Vividly in the Present: a history of the Latino Community in Pasadena'' that she researched and produced. Roberta serves on numerous boards and committees, including the Pasadena Historical Museum, the San Gabriel Valley Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Pasadena Latino Forum, Latino Heritage Association, Leadership Pasadena and the Zonta Club. In addition, she assists the City of Pasadena by participating on the Arts Commission, the Pasadena Community Access Corporation, and the Northwest School Site Steering Committee. In 2002, Roberta received the Pasadena YWCA's Woman of Excellence in the Arts Award. The time and energy she gives to our community is truly remarkable, and the City of Pasadena has benefited greatly from her dedicated service. I ask all Members of Congress to join me today in honoring a remarkable woman of California's 29th Congressional District, Roberta H. Martinez. The entire community joins me in thanking Roberta Martinez for her continued efforts to making the 29th Congressional District a better place in which to live.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the accomplishments made by our nation's most distinguished women during the month of March. It is my great honor to recognize extraordinary women who are making a difference in my district. I stand today, to recognize an outstanding woman of California's 29th Congressional District, Ms. Sally Kendall Baldwin. Ms. Baldwin's passion for community service, especially on behalf of education and the arts, has made the City of San Gabriel a better place in which to live. A native Californian, Ms. Baldwin attended UCLA, majoring in Elementary Education. In 1960, she met and married Harry Baldwin, currently a San Gabriel City Councilman, and they have two children, Kendall and Gregory. After college, the Baldwin family moved to San Gabriel, California. As a young mother, Sally was involved in the Boy Scouts of America, San Gabriel National Little League and the San Gabriel High School Quarterback Club. After her children were grown, she became involved in the Pasadena Shakespeare League and efforts to raise funds for the renovation of the San Gabriel Mission. Ms. Baldwin has been instrumental in the efforts toward unification of the San Gabriel School District, which was accomplished in 1992 and the school bond issue to renovate elementary schools, which passed in 2002. A teacher in the San Gabriel Unified School District for the last twenty-eight years, she will retire in June 2003. She began the Annual Community Read-in at McKinley Elementary School. Last year, she worked with the Los Angeles Master Chorale on a project for her students to learn how to write lyrics and melody, and perform their own songs with members of the Chorale. Currently, Sally is Executive Vice President of the Asian Youth Center, a member of the San Gabriel Historical Society and the Metropolitan Associates, an outreach of the L.A. Opera Company. In addition, she is active in The Church of Our Saviour Episcopal Church, serving as a Vestry member, an usher and a Lay Eucharist Minister. The time and effort she gives to our community is truly remarkable, and the City of San Gabriel has benefited greatly from her dedicated service. I ask all Members of Congress to join me today in honoring an extraordinary woman of California's 29th Congressional District, Sally Kendall Baldwin. The entire community joins me in thanking Sally Baldwin for her continued efforts to make the 29th Congressional District an enhanced environment in which to live.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the accomplishments made by our nation's most distinguished women during the month of March. It is my great honor to recognize extraordinary women who are making a difference in my district. I stand today, to recognize an outstanding woman of California's 29th Congressional District. Pastor Jean Burch of Pasadena, California, has been pivotal in the social and religious vitality of our community and I wish to salute her efforts today. Raised in Pasadena, she attended Pasadena City College, continuing her journey into higher education at Biola University where she earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Organizational Leadership with an emphasis in Biblical Studies. Pastor Burch had a successful twenty-year career within the legal profession. In March 2000, she left the legal profession to become the Senior Pastor of Community Baptist Church in Pasadena. Her religious career began in the early 1970s under the leadership of Dr. Reverend Coy Turrentine, the late Bishop James E. Henry and as Assistant Pastor for her father, Pastor Emeritus John W. Burch at Community Baptist Church. In addition, she served as an instructor at the Southern California School of Ministry, teaching a course entitled ``Women in Ministry.'' A natural leader, she has been extensively involved in many community, civic, and religious organizations. Some of the boards she has served on include the National Association for Law Placement, the Los Angeles Association of Legal Recruitment Directors and the Pasadena Public Library Association. Currently she is a board member of the Ecumenical Council of Pasadena Area Churches and Northwest Pasadena Development Corporation. Along with other faith leaders and the Coalition for Zero Violence, Pastor Burch participates in a united effort to end violence in the Pasadena Unified School District. Her church, Community Baptist, is the faith-based partner for Community Arms and Kings Villages affordable housing properties. Pastor Jean, as she is affectionately called, is beloved and respected by the entire community. She is the proud mother of Leya Douglas, a member of her ministry team, and a grandmother to Kyley Douglas, born in January 2003. I ask all Members of Congress to join me today in honoring a remarkable woman of California's 29th Congressional District, Pastor Jean Burch. The entire community joins me in thanking Pastor Burch for her continued efforts to make the 29th Congressional District a more vibrant and enjoyable place in which to live.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing, with my colleague Mr. Frank of Massachusetts, the Military Tribunals Act of 2003 to provide congressional authorization for tribunals to try unlawful combatants against the United States in the war on terrorism. As the war on terrorism continues and more suspected al Qaeda terrorists are arrested, Congress must ensure that justice is delivered swiftly and responsibly in order to punish the terrorists as well as to prevent future attacks. Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution provides that it is the Congress that has the power to establish tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court. Up until now, however, there has been no congressional authorization for military tribunals. Efforts to form such tribunals, to date, have been performed solely by executive order of the President with clarifying regulations promulgated by the Secretary of Defense. Some would argue, not implausibly, that despite the clear language of Article 1, Section 8, congressional authorization is not necessary; that as Commander-in-Chief, the President has the authority to regulate the affairs of the military which extends to the adjudication of unlawful combatants. However, if Congress fails to act, any adjudications by military tribunal will likely be challenged in court on the basis that the tribunals were improperly constituted. The Military Tribunals Act of 2003 establishes the jurisdiction of these new courts to quickly and efficiently prosecute suspected al Qaeda terrorists who are not U.S. citizens or lawful residents. The bill preserves the basic rights of habeus corpus, appeal, and due process. Furthermore, this legislation protects the confidentiality of sources of information, protects classified information, and also protects ordinary citizens from being exposed to the dangers of trying these suspects. Perhaps of most importance, in the context of a war without a clear end and against an enemy without uniform or nation, this bill requires the President to report to Congress on who is detained, for how long, and on what basis. Mr. Speaker, in sum, the Military Tribunals Act of 2003 gives the Commander-in-Chief the power to try unlawful combatants, provides the confidence that these judgments will be upheld, establishes clear rules of due process, and ensures that the hallmarks of our democracy are not compromised.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the accomplishment made by our nation's most distinguished women during the month of March. It is my great honor to recognize extraordinary women who are making a difference in my district. I stand today to pay special recognition to Annie Chin Siu, D.D.S., an outstanding woman of California's 29th Congressional District. Over the years, Dr. Siu has given selflessly of her time and energy to many different organizations in the greater San Gabriel Valley. A San Francisco native, Dr. Siu attended the University of California at Berkeley. she graduated from the University of California at San Francisco School of Dentistry, specializing in Orthodontics and was the only woman in her dental school class. After her marriage to Dr. Tim Siu, the Sius moved to Alhambra, where Dr. Siu opened her orthodontic practice. Now retired from private practice, Dr. Siu continues to teach at the University of Southern California School of Dentistry. The Sius have been married for nearly fifty years and have four children: Tina, Susan, Jennifer, and Valerie. Dr. Siu has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the California Legislature's 49th Assembly District Woman of the Year, the 2003 Medal of Honor from the University of California San Francisco Dental Alumni Association, the Alhambra Rotary Club's Paul Harris Award, Bank of America's Achievement Award, the Los Angeles Chinese Chamber of Commerce's Service Award, Los Angeles Chinatown Public Safety Award, and the Edward Angle Orthodontic Excellence Award. Dr. Siu is a past President and longtime member of the Alhambra Chamber of Commerce. The consummate volunteer, Dr. Siu has been active in the Alhambra Public Library Association, the Los Angeles Chinatown Library. the Soroptimist Club of Alhambra-San Gabriel-San Marino, University Women Association, United Way, the Chinese American Museum, Chinese Historical Society of Los Angeles, Los Angeles Chinatown Public Safety Association, and the West San Gabriel Valley YMCA. In addition, Dr. Siu is a member of numerous professional organizations, including the USC School of Dentistry Board of Councilors, American Dental Association, and the California Dental Association. The time and energy Dr. Siu gives to our community is truly remarkable, and the greater Los Angeles area has benefited greatly from her dedicated service. I ask all Members of Congress to join me today in honoring a remarkable woman of California's 29th Congressional District, Annie Chin Siu, D.D.S. The entire community joins me in thanking Dr. Siu for her continued efforts to make the 29th Congressional District a better place in which to live.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the accomplishments made by our nation's most distinguished women during the month of March. It is my great honor to recognize extraordinary women who are making a difference in my district. I stand today, to recognize an outstanding woman of California's 29th Congressional District, Ms. Sonia Bedrossian Peltekian. Over the years, Sonia has been an outspoken advocate for the Armenian-American community. Born in Jerusalem, Ms. Peltekian attended St. Joseph High School, graduating as valedictorian, and Terra Santa Girls' College where she majored in business administration and minored in music teaching and conducting. Sonia worked in Jerusalem as a music teacher at Terra Santa Boys College, a secretary at the United Nations Relief and Work Agency, and organist/choir director for Terra Santa Church. In the 1970s, Sonia immigrated to the United States, became a United States citizen, and married Barkev Peltekian. She and her husband have two children, Lara and Paul. Her work experience includes a fourteen- year term as an administrative assistant for Blue Cross of California, piano teaching, and assisting in the family business, Barkev's Photography. Ms. Peltekian volunteers for the United Armenia Fund, the American Red Cross and the Armenian Cultural Association. For nearly thirty years, she has been extremely active in the Armenian Relief Society, Western Region ``Mayr'' Chapter in Los Angeles, serving as President and Vice President. In 1998, Sonia won the County of Los Angeles' Outstanding Volunteer Award for her service to refugees living in Los Angeles County. In addition, she volunteers at various schools and community functions to speak about issues related to Armenian culture, women and religious holidays. Her command of four languages: English, Armenian, Arabic and French help to make her a much sought-after public speaker and volunteer. Throughout the years, Sonia has focused on using her knowledge to enhance opportunities for the Armenian-American community, which has greatly benefited from her devoted service. I ask all Members of Congress to join me today in honoring a remarkable woman of California's 29th Congressional District, Sonia Bedrossian Peltekian. The entire community joins me in thanking Ms. Peltekian for her efforts.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the accomplishments made by our nation's most distinguished women during the month of March. It is my great honor to recognize extraordinary women who are making a difference in my district. I stand today, to recognize an outstanding woman of California's 29th Congressional District, Ms. Mary W. Boger. Ms. Boger's passion for community volunteerism, especially on behalf of children and education, has made the City of Glendale and surrounding areas a better place in which to live. A product of the Glendale Unified School District, she attended Pasadena City College, then had a successful career in the business world. Mary and her husband, Dr. Donald Boger have raised eight children in total: JoAnn, Terry, Debbie, Scott, Elizabeth, Melanie, David, Charles, nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. A strong advocate of education, Ms. Boger has served on numerous school committees and task forces, including Citizens for Glendale Community College, and the School Facilities Bond Committee. In addition, she has volunteered with the Glendale Parent Teacher Association, Glendale Healthy Kids, Verdugo Hills Visiting Nurse Association, Safe Places and Glendale Youth Coalition. She is currently a member of the Glendale Unified School District Board of Education, serves on the Glendale YWCA Board of Directors, and is President of Las Candelas. Mary has received many awards, including the Glendale News Press Woman of Achievement Award in 1998, the California Legislature's 43rd Assembly District Woman of the Year in 2000, and the Glendale Community College Alumni Association's Award of Merit for Career Achievement and Community Service. The time, energy and love she gives to our community is extraordinary, and the residents of my district have benefited greatly from her dedicated service. I ask all Members of Congress to join me today in honoring a remarkable woman of California's 29th Congressional District, Mary W. Boger. The entire community joins me in thanking Mary Boger for her continued efforts to make the 29th Congressional District a healthier and safer environment, especially for children, in which to live.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Air Cargo Security Act, a bill to strengthen air cargo security on all commercial flights by closing existing air cargo security loopholes. This bill is the companion to legislation introduced by Senators Hutchison and Feinstein. Since September 11, we have worked diligently as a Nation to improve the safety of our commercial air travel, dramatically increasing the security requirements for passengers on airliners. Yet on those same aircraft, there remain glaring gaps in air cargo security, according to a 2002 GAO report. Nearly one-quarter of all air cargo is transported on passenger aircraft, typically filling the hull of each passenger plane. Yet only a fraction of that cargo is ever inspected. According to the GAO, air cargo is vulnerable to tampering at multiple points during land transportation and at air cargo handling facilities. First, there are lax processes for verifying the identification of air cargo handlers and conducting criminal background checks. Second, the Known Shippers Freight Forwarding program does not have sufficient safeguards in place to adequately protect against cargo tampering; and most important, nearly all cargo shipped by passenger plane is never screened. The Air Cargo Security Act would require the Transportation Security Agency to resolve these deficiencies in air cargo security through several key mechanisms. First, it requires the TSA to develop a strategic plan to screen, inspect, and otherwise ensure the security of all cargo transported through the Nation's air transportation system. It also imposes measures that would require the TSA to increase inspections of air cargo shippers and their facilities and to work with foreign countries to conduct regular inspections at facilities transporting air cargo to the United States. This bill requires TSA to establish an industry-wide pilot program database of known shippers of cargo that is shipped in passenger aircraft and to conduct random inspection of freight forwarder facilities. The Secretary would be required to suspend or revoke the certificate of noncompliant freight forwarders. Under this act, the TSA retains tremendous flexibility in developing a program to inspect and screen air cargo in which it can select from a wide range of technological and operational options to enhance security. These measures, ranging from low- to high-tech, include using bomb-sniffing dogs, installing more cameras in cargo areas, screening air cargo for explosives, securing cargo with high-tech seals, or using cargo tracking systems or industry-wide computer profiling systems. By using a combination of these techniques, TSA will be able to design and implement an effective system to ensure the security of our air cargo. Aviation security is a bipartisan issue that directly affects all Americans. Aviation is only as safe from terrorism as its most vulnerable component and that component is now the cargo. Strengthening air cargo security is vital to ensuring passenger security. I want to thank my Senate colleagues for their leadership on this issue, and to the cosponsors of this legislation in the House, the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. McInnis), the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Case), and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Bell), and I urge my colleagues to support the Air Cargo Security Act of 2003.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing, with my colleague Mr. Frank of Massachusetts, the Detention of Enemy Combatants Act to provide authorization for the detainment of ``enemy combatants'' in the war on terrorism while guaranteeing that they are granted timely access to legal counsel and judicial review. In the war on terrorism, the term enemy combatant has been broadly defined. In some cases, American citizens have been deemed ``enemy combatants'' and incarcerated indefinitely without access to counsel or the courts. This has resulted in an unprecedented accretion of power over American citizens. After the shameful internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, we must be vigilant to protect against the government's decision to detain, perhaps indefinitely, any American without adequate review of the basis of its decision. Inspired in party by the internment of Japanese Americans and by the anti-spying excesses of the Cold War, Congress in 1971 passed an Act providing that ``no citizens shall be imprisoned or otherwise detained by the United States except pursuant to an Act of Congress.'' Congress has yet to authorize the detention of citizens in the war on terrorism, yet American citizens have in fact been detained as enemy combatants. For this reason, my colleague Mr. Frank and I are introducing the Detention of Enemy Combatants Act, authorizing the government to detain an enemy combatant who is a United States person or resident who is a member of al Qaeda, or knowingly cooperated with a member of al Qaeda in the planning, authorizing, committing, aiding, or abetting of one or more terrorist acts against the United States. Furthermore, our bill requires that detainees be guaranteed timely access to legal counsel and meaningful judicial review to challenge the basis for a detention. While we must grant broad latitude to our armed forces when it comes to protecting national security, American citizens should not be held indefinitely upon the sole determination of one branch of government without access to counsel or judicial review of those determinations. We must ensure that we do not sacrifice the Constitutional rights we pledged to uphold, and without which, none of us are safe from unwarranted intrusions on our liberty. Mr. Speaker, in sum, the Detention of Enemy Combatants Act will provide for clear standards and procedures under which American citizens or lawful residents believed to be members of al Qaeda or its supporters may be detained as enemy combatants while also provided due process.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Mr. Chairman, I would like to address my remarks to some of the arguments that have been made by the opposition to the substitute: first, that other research will adequately substitute for somatic cell nuclear transfer; second, the policing issue; and third, the moral issue. On the first issue, there is no adequate substitute for the science of somatic cell nuclear transfer. Adult stem cells do not have the same potential to differentiate. And even if you are talking about embryonic stem cells, the advantage of the somatic cell nuclear transfer is that the transfer will bear the DNA of the patient who is being treated and it will not be rejected by the patient. That is a vital distinction, because it will not necessitate the use of immunosuppressant drugs. So there is no adequate substitute for this type of research. On the second point, that we cannot adequately police this if we allow this. As a practical matter and speaking as a former prosecutor, if we want to preclude any possibility of abuse, we not only need to preclude any kind of stem cell research, we need to ban and close down every fertility clinic in the country. When has it been the case that because of the possibility of abuse or criminality we would shut down important, vital avenues of research? That has never been the policy of the United States. It is one of the reasons we lead the world in research and one of the reasons we have to continue to lead. Finally, on the most difficult question, and that is the moral question, the question of when life begins. This is not a question that we can resolve on the House floor. It is something we all bring our faiths to bear on. But what we can decide is whether we are willing to use the coercive power of the government to make that decision for everyone else; whether we are willing to use that coercive power to say that we will deny people treatment derived from this important science because some of us have a view of life that life begins with the fertilization of an egg or with a somatic cell nuclear transfer when others do not. I would urge my colleagues to deny themselves the benefit of that research if they choose, but do not deny it to the rest of the world.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Rim of the Valley Corridor Study Act, directing the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture to study the feasibility of expanding the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area to include the mountains and canyons in Southern California that are part of the Rim of the Valley Corridor, as designated by the State of California. The National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service would jointly study the suitability of more than doubling the size of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area by encompassing this corridor, which contains areas of rare Mediterranean ecosystems and encircles the mountains above the San Fernando, La Crescenta, Santa Clarita, Simi, and Conejo Valleys, as well as the famed Arroyo Seco, home of Pasadena's Rose Bowl. For many residents of Southern California, the mountains above our communities are a nearby haven to enjoy nature, a refuge from the noise and commotion of Los Angeles. Our mountains can and should be places where city-dwellers can easily go to enjoy such activities as hiking, camping, mountain biking, horseback riding, observing wildlife, and admiring nature's scenic beauty. Given the tremendous growth pressures in Southern California, we must act now to preserve our precious open space. It is my hope that the Rim of the Valley Corridor Study Act will embody a dream and vision of a Southern California enhanced not only by what was built, but also by what was preserved. The National Park Service oversees the highly successful Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, the world's largest urban park, spanning from the mountains to the sea and protected in perpetuity by Congress in 1978. Inclusion of the Rim of the Valley Corridor would link wildlife habitat in the Santa Monica Mountains to the Angeles National Forest. The Rim of the Valley Corridor Study Act would require the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture to complete their study within one to three years, consulting with state and local government entities. It would then be necessary for Congress to enact subsequent legislation to implement the study's recommendations. I am pleased that this legislation has bipartisan support, with Reps. Howard Berman, David Dreier, George Miller, Brad Sherman, and Hilda Solis as principal co-sponsors. I am delighted that the senior Senator from California, Senator Feinstein, is also introducing this important legislation today. The Rim of the Valley Corridor Study Act will result in an initiative creating a lasting legacy of nearby natural open space for our children--and their children--to enjoy.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia. To their families, I offer my heartfelt condolences. As a nation, we deeply mourn their loss. These seven brave men and women aboard the Columbia represented the best of our country, the community of nations, and of humanity. I have had the privilege of working with NASA scientists, engineers, and astronauts. To these dedicated men and women, their work is a mission, their colleagues are family. Working together across ethnic, religious, and geographical boundaries, they exemplified the synergism of teamwork, in which the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Just as they did so well, we must continue to display the courage to take on new challenges, seek answers to the mysteries of nature and the world around us, and we must do so together. Through their spaceflight, the Columbia crew inspired us to think, imagine, and dream beyond the world we can see. They bravely faced daunting challenges in order to reveal the wonders of science. Their lives were dedicated to scientific exploration and the betterment of humankind. They were truly pioneers, bridging the gap between the known and the unknown, venturing into the depths of space. As scientific voyagers, they expanded the boundaries of knowledge, enabling us to learn more about our universe and our own planet. Their quest to answer as yet unanswered questions embodied mankind's continual search for knowledge and truth. In honor of their memory and their legacy, we must carry on where they have left off. We must reaffirm our commitment as a nation to space exploration and scientific discovery. We must continue to fund our national space program, to explore our solar system and beyond. We must set ambitious and daring goals, such as landing man on Mars. We must, and we shall, continue the journey that the crew of the Columbia so bravely began.