David Valadao

Mr. VALADAO

Mr. VALADAO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate GAR Bennett, LLC, as they receive the King's County Chamber of Commerce Ag Support Business of the Year award. In 1929, Lon Bennett founded Bennett and Bennett Irrigation Systems in Selma, California. Twenty years later, Gar Tootelian Inc., a crop care company, began in Reedley. For decades, these two family-owned companies were essential to the success of the Central Valley agricultural community. But in 2020, these two Valley institutions merged to form GAR Bennett, LLC. Together, they have helped to provide countless resources and services to the farmers who feed the world. For nearly 100 years, these two family-run businesses have been dedicated to the success of our farmers and growers in the Central Valley. As they have come together under a single operation, their mission of providing quality fertilizers, fertigation, and irrigation has never wavered. GAR Bennett continues to expand their resources for farmers and growers, such as providing logistical assistance on agricultural regulations, deep-well drilling, and many other important issues facing farmers today. GAR Bennett is critical to providing resources to farmers as well as being incredibly involved in the community at large. They regularly support multiple local farmers and agricultural advocacy groups and help to support our future Ag leaders at local schools like California State University Fresno, College of the Sequoias, and Reedley College. While their name has changed and the leadership of the companies has been passed down to new generations, the mission of GAR Bennett has always remained the same--help the farmers who feed the world. These two families have helped to make the Central Valley agriculture community what it is today, and I cannot think of a more deserving recipient of recognition. I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in congratulating GAR Bennett, LLC for their decades of service to the Central Valley and for being named the Ag Support Business of the Year.

Mr. VALADAO

Mr. VALADAO. Madam Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``NAY'' on rollcall No. 448.

Mr. VALADAO

Mr. VALADAO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the incredible career of Mr. Craig Pedersen and to congratulate him on his retirement. Mr. Pedersen has spent most of his life in Kings County. Born in Reno, Nevada, his family moved to Lemoore in 1962 to return to their family farm. While he didn't know it at the time, this would begin a lifelong career in the agricultural industry for Mr. Pedersen. After graduating from Hanford High School, Mr. Pedersen began working full time with the family farm in 1982 and would eventually become business partners with his father, Robert. Together, they formed Pedersen Farms in 1987. After many years of learning the agriculture business on his family farm, Mr. Pedersen began to take on leadership positions in the local agricultural community. He has served as the Chairman of the California Cotton Growers Association, the California Wheat Commission, and the Kings County Farm Bureau. In 1992, Mr. Pedersen accepted a multi-year fellowship with the California Agriculture Leadership Program, which allowed him to travel across North and South America to obtain an even better understanding of the agriculture industry. Following his fellowship, former California Governor Pete Wilson appointed Mr. Pedersen to serve a four-year term on the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board. In 2015, Mr. Pedersen was elected to the Kings County Board of Supervisors, where he has continued his lifelong commitment to the Central Valley agricultural community. Mr. Pedersen has been an essential part of the Central Valley community for over thirty years. His work has been widely recognized throughout Kings County, where he has received both the California Agriculture Leadership Profile in Leadership Award in 2000 and the Kings County Agriculturalist of the Year award in 2002. I cannot think of a man more deserving of these recognitions than Mr. Pedersen, who has dedicated his entire adult life to supporting agriculture in the Central Valley. I ask all my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in honoring the lifelong work and achievements of Mr. Craig Pedersen and congratulate him on a well-deserved retirement.

Mr. VALADAO

Mr. VALADAO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mrs. Diane Messer Dodds, for receiving the Bench and Bar Award, Kern County Bar Association's most prestigious award. A graduate of Yale Law School, Mrs. Dodds was sworn into the California State Bar in 1975 and began her lifelong commitment to provide outstanding legal services to those in need. She started her legal career working with the Legal Aid Office in Long Beach, California. After a year there, she began clerking for U.S. District Judge Harry Pregerson. Following her clerkship, she would go on to work at the Western Center on Law and Poverty in Los Angeles. After her time with Western Center, Mrs. Dodds moved to Kernville after marrying her husband, Patrick. For 12 years, she would provide important legal services to the elderly throughout her community as she and Patrick raised their young children. This work led to her meeting Pat Jennison, an attorney in Bakersfield, who has been a dear friend and important legal partner. The two would go on to open the law office of Jennison and Dodds in 2007. For decades, Mrs. Dodds has provided vital legal services to clients throughout the Valley. Mrs. Dodd's pro bono work has earned her special recognition from the California State Bar, as a recipient of the Wiley M. Manuel Award for Pro Bono Legal Services. Mrs. Dodds has dedicated thousands of hours to legal clinics for self-represented litigants through the Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance and the Kern County Law Library--even teaching a monthly class at the library for self- represented litigants for the past 15 years. Mrs. Dodds has rightfully received the praise of fellow attorneys, Judges, Bar Associations throughout California, and most importantly-- her clients. She has accomplished all of this while being a dedicated wife and loving mother to three children, and I cannot think of a more deserving recipient of this prestigious award than Mrs. Dodds. I ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in recognizing the incredible work of Mrs. Diane Messer Dodds for her accomplishment of receiving the Kern County Bar Association Bench and Bar Award.

Mr. VALADAO

Mr. VALADAO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Kings County Commission on Aging Council as they celebrate their 50th anniversary. Founded in 1970, the Kings County Commission on Aging Council (KCCOAC) was established to provide information, assistance, support, and advocacy for senior citizens throughout Kings County. Originally, their mission was centered primarily on providing community events for seniors and promoting social gatherings for the elderly--many of whom find themselves alone. Since then, the KCCOAC has greatly expanded its services for seniors through their work providing health and legal services, nutrition programs, rent and utility assistance, tax preparation assistance, health insurance counseling, and senior center activities. These are just some of the many different programs offered to senior citizens through the KCCOAC and essential to thousands of elderly Americans throughout Kings County. For 50 years, the work done by the Kings County Commission on Aging Council has been crucial to lifting the spirits of thousands of seniors in the Central Valley. Their work has directly impacted their lives and provided a source of community and necessary services to those who need help. I ask all my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in recognizing the Kings County Commission on Aging Council as they celebrate 50 years of incredible work on behalf of seniors.

Mr. VALADAO

Mr. VALADAO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the work of Proteus, an essential non-profit organization in the Central Valley, as they celebrate their 55th anniversary. In the 1960s, the Tulare County Community Action Agency formed Proteus Adult Training to address rampant poverty among farmworkers and impoverished adults--primarily through literacy programs. In 1972, Proteus would be incorporated as an independent non-profit organization and continue its core mission to provide education, job training, and support services that empower people to achieve self-sufficiency. In 1978, Proteus began expanding outside of Tulare County and started to address poverty throughout the Central Valley. In 1994, Proteus opened its first vocational school, offering Shipping and Receiving classes. They received their accreditation in 1995 and have been expanding their classes into areas such as Truck Driving, Forklift Training, and Energy Career Training. Today, Proteus also offers academic courses such as Adult Basic Education and English as Second Language through its William M. Maguy School of Education. Throughout its 55 years of work, Proteus has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to improve the lives of the disenfranchised through its local, regional, and national partnerships with governments, other non- profit organizations, and corporations. With 30 different locations throughout Tulare, Kern, Fresno, and Kings counties, as well as in East Los Angeles, Proteus continues to lift people out of poverty and put the less fortunate on a pathway to financial stability. I ask all of my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in honoring Proteus as it celebrates its 55-year anniversary.

Mr. VALADAO

Mr. VALADAO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize the life of Staff Sgt. Gary Gustafson, USAF, Ret. Born on August 16, 1932, Gary peacefully entered the arms of our Lord on August 21, 2022. He was a family man, military veteran, and beloved member of his community. Gary was born and raised in the ``Swedish village'' of Kingsburg, California, where he grew up on the banks of the Kings River. He worked as a carpenter for most of his life, building his family home on acreage in the country. He helped operate the Royal Oak Resort family campground business, and he farmed grapes and tree fruit for the Central Valley. Gary was a man of simple tastes and pleasures who immensely valued family and hard work. A varsity football player at Kingsburg High School, Gary continued playing football after joining the Air Force, where he served 4 years working on various top-secret projects and assignments. While stationed in Utah, Gary met the love of his life, Elma Lee Kerr, and the two married in April 1955 shortly before Gary retired from military service. The couple moved back to Kingsburg, where they welcomed their two children, Gregg and LeeAnn, into their lives. Gary and Elma Lee shared many wonderful memories together over their 52 years of marriage before Elma Lee suddenly passed and peacefully made her way to our Lord in 2007. Gary retained his passion for planes long after his retirement from the Air Force. He spent many years flying his plane to Air Force reunions, where he reminisced with old friends and football buddies. Gary was a man of few words but many actions. He worked tirelessly to support his family and deeply loved his community--he spent nearly his entire life in Kingsburg, where he has left a lasting impression as a hardworking husband, father, and U.S. military veteran. He is survived by his companion, Greta Williams, along with his daughter and her husband, LeeAnn and Jim McClusky, as well as six grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the life of Gary Gustafson. His service to our country and contributions to the Central Valley will be widely celebrated and long remembered by those who knew and loved him.

Mr. VALADAO

Mr. VALADAO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Gary Rice and congratulate him on his 35-year career as a teacher in Hanford, California. Mr. Rice began his career teaching first grade at Western Christian School in Hanford. After one year, he transferred to Pioneer Union Elementary--where he would teach for the next 34 years. As a teacher at Pioneer, Mr. Rice taught multiple grade levels, including first, third, fourth, and fifth grade. Mr. Rice's true passion was teaching fourth grade because he was able to educate his students about one of his favorite subjects, the history of the State of California. As a fourth-grade teacher, Mr. Rice regularly led students on field trips to Sacramento to visit the California State Capitol, the city's historic Old Town neighborhood, and the California State Train Museum. He also led students on field trips to visit the historic California Missions, such as Mission San Miguel and Mission San Antonio. As a dedicated educator, Mr. Rice was heavily involved in the school's extracurricular activities. He regularly organized the Pioneer Spelling Bee and was a fixture at the school's ukulele club--both teaching students how to play and encouraging them to show off their talents at events like the Pioneer talent show. Mr. Rice is the type of teacher that students never forget. His sense of humor, passion for learning, and dedication to his students have made a lasting impact on the thousands of children he has taught over his 35-year career. I ask all my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in honoring the incredible career of Mr. Gary Rice.

Mr. VALADAO

Mr. VALADAO. Madam Speaker, I rise today and am joined by my colleague from California, Mr. McCarthy, to honor the life and legacy of Captain Brian Falk. After serving the Kern County Fire Department for more than two decades, Captain Falk passed away on July 14, 2022, while on active duty at Station 23. Born in Bakersfield, California in 1974, Captain Falk was known as a fierce athlete, gregarious leader, and compassionate friend. As a student at North High School, he excelled in competitive sports, collecting numerous recognitions along the way for his athletic excellence. Upon graduation, Captain Falk attended Bakersfield College before transferring to the University of Nevada, Reno, where he received his bachelor's degree in Criminology. After his time in Reno, Captain Falk returned home to serve as a Kern County Probation Officer before joining the Kern County Fire Department in 2002. Within six years at the Department, he attained the rank of Captain--an incredible feat symbolizing Captain Falk's unwavering dedication to service. For over two decades, Captain Falk served alongside his team of committed first responders, protecting Kern County residents day and night. Captain Falk was the embodiment of service, honor, and dignity. His commitment to his family and his community is an example to us all. On behalf of the 21st and 23rd Congressional Districts of California, it is our privilege to honor Captain Falk's life. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Jennifer, and two sons, Randall James and Tyler Matthew, as they mourn the loss of an incredible man.

Mr. VALADAO

Mr. VALADAO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dr. Freddie Louis Thomas, Sr. for his 50 years of service to the Central Valley community as the Senior Pastor of Jerusalem Mission Community Church of God in Christ. Dr. Thomas, Sr. was born in 1934 in Marshall, Texas. As a child, he and his family relocated to California and settled in Los Angeles. In 1953, his family moved to Bakersfield, California. He went on to be a fixture in the Central Valley ever since. After. graduating from Bakersfield High School, Dr. Thomas, Sr. attended Bakersfield College while working towards his license as a building contractor. After working years in building construction and contracting, Dr. Thomas, Sr. felt a calling from a higher power and made the admirable decision to dedicate his life to Christ. He went on to attend multiple seminary schools, eventually achieving a doctorate in divinity. Dr. Thomas, Sr. has used his knowledge to become a leader in the Central Valley religious community--spreading the word of God through his teachings to multiple congregations. In 1963, Dr. Thomas, Sr. founded the Jerusalem Mission Community Church of God in Christ. He has served as the church's senior pastor since its founding and has become a true source of inspiration for Valley families for decades. In 2021, he became the Emeritus Pastor of the Church. I ask all my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in congratulating Dr. Freddie Louis Thomas, Sr. for his 50 years of service to the Central Valley community.

Mr. VALADAO

Mr. VALADAO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Hanford Fire Department Captain David Sumaya for his 33 years of service to the Central Valley community. Captain Sumaya was born and raised in Hanford, California. As a young man, he knew he wanted to serve the community he had lived in all his life and found the best way for him to do so was to become a firefighter. In 1989, he began his work in the fire service and joined Hanford Volunteer Firefighters. As a volunteer firefighter, he ran calls out of the old Lacey Boulevard Fire Station, even working on fire engines from the 1940s. In 1991, Captain Sumaya was hired as a full-time firefighter with the Hanford Fire Department. Throughout his decorated career, he held every position in the Department, eventually rising to the rank of Captain. Additionally, he served as one of the original members of the Hanford Fire Department Investigation team, helping the Department understand the causes of fires throughout the community. Over his three decades of service, Captain Sumaya served as a role model for all members of the Hanford Fire Department. He has been a source of inspiration for young firefighters in the Department, and a great resource for veteran members. His dedication to his community is an inspiration to us all, and his legacy within the Hanford Fire Department will live on forever. I ask all my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in honoring Captain David Sumaya for his 33 years of service and dedication to the City of Hanford.

Mr. VALADAO

Mr. VALADAO. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. VALADAO. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

Mr. VALADAO

Mr. VALADAO. Madam Chair, my constituents have faced drought conditions for years. Communities throughout the Central Valley and the entire American West are running out of water for daily use in homes, businesses, and agriculture production. Farmers are being forced to fallow their fields and dry out their orchards, and hundreds of thousands of acres will be unable to be planted again this year. Instead of coming to the table to work on real solutions that would give families and farmers in my community the water they desperately need to survive, the majority has decided they would rather play politics with the most critical resource in the valley. Apparently, passing political messaging bills to check a box is more important to my Democratic colleagues than trying to save the livelihood of thousands of valley farmers trying to put food on the tables of Americans across the country. This bill is completely silent on the desperate need for enhanced water storage infrastructure to better prepare us during wet years. It does not cut red tape, decrease time delays, or address increased project costs due to redundant requirements under NEPA. The bottom line is this bill is bad policy and bad for the Central Valley. My colleagues don't seem to understand that the fewer agriculture products the Central Valley produces, the worse off our own domestic food supply will be. Reduced ag means more of a reliance on other nations for our food, which is an issue for national security. We must do better to address the severe drought we are suffering through in the American West. The WIIN Act, which passed with bipartisan support under President Obama in 2016, provided real relief to valley farmers by increasing operational flexibility of the Central Valley Project and the California State Water Project. It also authorized millions of dollars for important water infrastructure projects to improve the Friant-Kern Canal, the Delta-Mendota Canal, and the California Aqueduct. The WIIN Act was critical to ensuring that valley families in rural communities across the United States have clean, reliable water. We made great progress because of this legislation. Unfortunately, authorities under the WIIN Act expired in 2021. This is why I introduced the RENEW WIIN Act, to extend storage and operation provisions of the WIIN Act and authorize funds for critical water storage projects. Over three quarters of the Democrats in this House supported these positions in 2016. But this week, they refused to include my bill in this so-called drought relief package. They are blocking an actual solution to the crisis in the name of environmental justice. Madam Chair, where is the justice in letting thousands of valley farmers lose their livelihoods because they cannot get something as basic as water? If this drought bill was truly about solving the water crisis in the West, the House majority would include the RENEW WIIN Act in this package instead of actively blocking its consideration. Madam Chair, I am once again urging the House majority to consider this legislation that will bring water to the people in my community doing everything possible to survive this terrible drought. Madam Chair, I urge the Democrat majority to stop playing politics with the resource that the entire country is so reliant on. Madam Chair, I include in the Record the text of the amendment. At the end of division A, insert the following:

Mr. VALADAO

Mr. VALADAO. Madam Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to speak on this. Telehealth is critical for rural and low-income communities like many in my district, and I absolutely support this bill. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth was widely used since we were not able to see our healthcare providers in person. Even before the pandemic, many of my constituents were not able to go to their health appointments because oftentimes the office was way too far, or they did not have the transportation to get to their provider. Through this legislation, the Advancing Telehealth Beyond COVID-19 Act, some of the healthcare flexibilities we have seen since 2020 would be extended for another 2 years. This action is very necessary, but I also believe it is in the best interests of our constituents to take these flexibilities and make them permanent. I introduced a companion bill with my colleagues that would make permanent the expanded list of practitioners eligible to provide telehealth services. Congresswoman Cheney's bill is a great starting point, but I encourage my colleagues to make these flexibilities permanent so our constituents can have access to the care even after the public health emergency declaration has ended.

Mr. VALADAO

Mr. VALADAO. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. VALADAO. Madam Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

Mr. VALADAO

Mr. VALADAO. Mr. Chair, I request support from my colleagues on a very simple amendment. This amendment would prohibit the Department of Energy from sending America's Strategic Petroleum Reserve to China. Supporting this language is common sense, especially since we need to focus on increasing energy production and not supporting our adversaries while Americans are still suffering from outrageously high fuel prices here at home. These reserves are meant to be used for emergencies only. They are not meant to be used when our leadership has failed us by unnecessarily restricting domestic energy production. What is even more concerning is that under the Biden administration, our Strategic Petroleum Reserve supplies have been severely diminished. It does not make sense that we are using our already depleted energy supplies to help China build up their own strategic reserves. It is irresponsible and dangerous for the United States to provide our foreign adversary with fuel that we desperately need to keep here in the United States in case of an emergency. It seems the Biden administration is helping to support China's national security at the expense of our own. It has been suggested that selling resources from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve will help reduce fuel prices here at home. That is simply not true. What we should be doing instead is supporting our energy producers here in the United States. We have abundant resources here that can and should be used. We are deliberately holding our country back by overregulating and stifling our domestic energy producers. The very last thing we should be doing is sending our precious resources from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to China. I urge all of my colleagues to support the United States national security by supporting this amendment. Mr. Chair, I include in the Record the text of this amendment. At the end of division C (before the short title), insert the following: Sec. __. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to draw down and sell petroleum products from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to any entity that does not certify to the Secretary of Energy that-- (1) it is not under the ownership, control, or influence of the Chinese Communist Party; and (2) such petroleum products will not be exported to the People's Republic of China.

Mr. VALADAO. Mr. Chair, thank you for allowing me this time to talk about the importance of the three amendments I submitted to this bill that, unfortunately, we won't be voting on today. The severe drought throughout the American West has been negatively impacting my constituents and local community for years. In the Central Valley, our farmers have had to turn to pumping groundwater to protect their high-value crops. Towns have been forced to pump more and more groundwater to meet their communities' needs. As a result, these communities have experienced land subsidence at the expense of critical water infrastructure. In the worst cases, farmers are forced to fallow their fields and dry out valuable orchards due to access to little or no water. My constituents are farmers who feed the world, and with record-high food prices, the inability for our domestic farmers to grow food is going to impact the entire country. The situation is dire and only getting worse. We can't produce more water, but we can work with the water we already have and apply commonsense solutions to make this water available to our agricultural communities. My first amendment would have addressed water storage capacity issues by extending the storage provision of subtitle J of the WIIN Act. It would have also created a program to assist in funding the repairs to damaged canal facilities. Unless these canals are completely restored, the issue of subsidence and resulting unnecessary water loss will continue and conditions will worsen. My second amendment would codify the 2019 biological opinions that were independently peer-reviewed and informed by the most accurate and best-available science. Unfortunately, the Biden administration's Bureau of Reclamation has ignored science and reinitiated consultation with the BiOps with no explanation. Codifying the 2019 BiOps would put an end to senseless litigation and provide operational certainty for Valley farmers. My third amendment was one focused on transparency and would direct the Bureau of Reclamation to provide the Committee on Appropriations with a justification on their decision to reinitiate consultation of 2019 biological opinions. We need to stop playing politics with a resource that the Central Valley is so reliant on. It is extremely disappointing that the majority rejected each one of these amendments that would bring more water to the communities throughout the Central Valley who are doing everything they possibly can to survive these conditions and provide food for our Nation.

Mr. VALADAO

Mr. VALADAO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Naval Air Station (NAS) Lemoore on its 60th anniversary. Construction of the Naval Air Base in 1960 brought an important military presence to the Central Valley. On July 8, 1961, thousands came to witness the commissioning of the base, as it became the largest air station on the West Coast. For the next sixty years, NAS Lemoore has been a fixture in the community. Throughout its history, NAS Lemoore has been critical to the United States Military. The base has trained thousands of Navy pilots since its opening and has been a consistent source of innovation and testing of the newest military equipment. In 1998, NAS Lemoore was chosen to host the latest in Navy aircraft technology, the F/A 18 E/F Super Hornet, and in 2017, the F-35 Lightning II onsite. Today, NAS Lemoore is the Navy's largest master jet base. NAS Lemoore has not only been vital to the U.S. Military, but it has also been a source of public service for Valley residents. Over the past sixty years, the base has hosted job fairs, partnered with the non-profit group Habitat for Humanity to build homes for veterans, and has hosted air shows featuring the Blue Angels among many other community-centered events. I ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in celebrating the 60th anniversary of Naval Air Station Lemoore.

Mr. VALADAO

Mr. VALADAO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Tulare- Kings Police Academy at the College of the Sequoias on its 60th anniversary. Since its inception in 1962, the Tulare-Kings Police Academy has been a vital part of training our future law enforcement officers in the Central Valley. The program initially began its operations out of the Tulare County Sheriff's Office and trained future recruits there for over a decade. In 1973, the program moved to the College of the Sequoias campus in Visalia, providing even more access to young students looking to enter a career of public service. The program spent nearly forty years at the Visalia campus, with dozens of students graduating each year eager to begin protecting and serving the Central Valley. In 2010, the program made its most recent move into a state-of-the-art facility on the Hanford College of the Sequoias campus. After sixty years of operation, the Tulare-Kings Police Academy has produced over 150 graduating classes from its programs across three different campuses. These men and women have gone on to protect our communities throughout the Valley. Their service has been a consistent display of duty, honor, and commitment to their communities--all traits instilled into them by the Tulare-Kings Police Academy. I ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Tulare-Kings Police Academy at the College of the Sequoias.

Mr. VALADAO

Mr. VALADAO. Madam Speaker, I rise today with Representative Jim Costa to honor the life of Central Valley agriculture leader Don Devine, who passed away on June 4, 2022. Born in Central City, Kentucky, Mr. Devine personified the American dream. As a young man, he joined the United States Army and spent six years serving in Vietnam. Following his tour of duty, he attended Arizona State University and graduated with a degree in accounting. After graduating from school and obtaining his CPA license, Mr. Devine joined Harris Ranch Feeding Company, an organization he would spend over forty years working for, eventually working his way up to Senior Vice President of Finance. In the 1980s, Mr. Devine invested in farmland within the Central Valley and co-founded Double D Farms, an institution in our agricultural community, which grew and evolved to grow Pistachios, Almonds, and many other food crops. In addition to his hard work and success in business, Mr. Devine was also heavily involved in community issues. He was a leader on water issues throughout the Central Valley and served on multiple water board districts such as the Westlands and Pleasant Valley Water Districts. Mr. Devine was an icon in the Central Valley business and agricultural community. His dedication to his country, community, and family is an inspiration to us all. We ask our colleagues in the House of Representatives to join us in honoring the extraordinary life of Mr. Don Devine.

Mr. VALADAO

Mr. VALADAO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Chief George Turegano for his service to the Central Valley and over 40 years of law enforcement experience. After 16 years of service to the Capitola Police Department, Chief Turegano began his service to the Central Valley on August 1, 2012, after a unanimous decision by the Huron City Council. Throughout his career, he has found success in multiple positions in different departments. This includes solving a 1972 homicide case, the department's oldest, in 2007. Under his leadership, the Huron Police Department has exceeded expectations. Chief Turegano helped obtain grants that would add police officers for community outreach, prevent tobacco sales to minors, and purchase an ambulance as well as an ambulance facility. Chief Turegano coordinated the location and funding for a Boys & Girls Clubs of America facility in Huron and has created employment opportunities for high school students at the Harris Ranch Inn & Restaurant. Chief Turegano's dedication, leadership, and commitment to excellence serves as an incredible model for all those who will follow in his footsteps. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in recognizing Chief George Turegano for his lifetime of service.

Mr. VALADAO

Mr. VALADAO. Mr. Speaker, June is National Dairy Month, an opportunity to honor the contributions of dairy farmers throughout the country. I am proud to represent our Nation's largest dairy district and the hardworking men and women in the Central Valley who work tirelessly to provide our Nation with milk, cheese, ice cream, and all the other dairy products we enjoy. There are over 30,000 dairy farms across the United States, and many of those are farmer-owned and operated. As a lifelong dairy farmer, I know firsthand the impact that these burdensome government regulations have on day-to-day operations of these family farms and businesses. We need to reduce the regulatory burdens on our domestic agriculture producers and incentivize more production here at home. Supporting American agriculture and our dairy industry will bring food costs down and provide stability to our global food supply. Thank you to our dairy farmers and manufacturers in the Central Valley and across the country for their contributions to our community. Happy Dairy Month.

Mr. VALADAO

Mr. VALADAO. Madam Speaker, gas prices across the country have reached yet another record-breaking high. The pain at the pump my constituents are facing is a direct result of this administration's war on American energy. Unfortunately, the administration continues to pass the blame for a crisis of their own making. In California, we are suffering with out-of-control prices that reached over $6.30 per gallon this week. That is nearly $1.50 higher than the national average; thanks, in part, to the State's gas tax. Central Valley families are struggling to drive their kids to school, get themselves to work, and buy groceries to feed their families. Any reduction in prices would provide much-needed relief. I am, once again, calling on the State to immediately suspend the 51 cent per gallon tax. We need to unleash the power of our domestic energy production and suspend the gas tax to get these prices under control for Central Valley residents.