August 1, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1381 

PERSONAL EXPLANATION 

HON. JIM JORDAN OF OHIO

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, August 1, 2012 

Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, my scheduled 

flight into Washington yesterday afternoon was 

cancelled for mechanical reasons. As a result, 

I was absent from the House floor during last 

night’s three rollcall votes. 

Had I been present, I would have voted 

against S. 679 and in favor of H.R. 828 and 

H.R. 3803. 

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A TRIBUTE TO THE CAMELLIA 

SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AND 

RECOGNITION OF THEIR 50TH ANNIVERSARY 

HON. DANIEL E. LUNGREN OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, August 1, 2012 

Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California. Mr. 

Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 50th anniversary of the Camellia Symphony Orchestra 

of Sacramento, California. 

The Camellia Symphony Orchestra is one of 

Sacramento’s prized assets and has deep 

roots in the region. 

Today’s Orchestra traces its beginnings 

back to a small group of local musicians who 

began informally gathering together and playing music, simply for the fun of it. This group 

began performing at Encina High School, 

originally naming themselves the ‘‘Pot Luck 

Symphony.’’ 

On September 1, 1962, the group formally 

organized eventually adopting the name the 

North Area Community Symphony. Ever since 

that September evening, the Orchestra has 

continued to grow, educate and entertain people in the Sacramento area. 

By 1970 the Orchestra changed its name to 

the Camellia Symphony and became a regular 

participant of Camellia Day events held annually by the City of Sacramento. As the Orchestra has grown, it continues to earn national 

praise while also showcasing the talent of 

Sacramentans across the country. In 1979 the 

Camellia Symphony won its first of many future ASCAP awards, and in 1986 won the 

prestigious ‘‘INDIE’’ award for best classical 

release. 

As the years have progressed, the Camellia 

Symphony Orchestra has developed and produced innovative, historical and exciting performances, earning a reputation as one of the 

finest orchestras in the region. While earning 

this reputation of excellence, the Orchestra 

has continued to give back to the Sacramento 

community, providing opportunities for local 

musicians to display their musical ability. The 

Orchestra’s commitment to community is seen 

through its ongoing collaboration with a variety 

of Sacramento events and organizations, such 

as Camerata California, the Strauss Festival, 

St. John’s Lutheran Church and many others 

in the region. 

On behalf of all those in the Sacramento 

area who appreciate what the Camellia Symphony Orchestra means to our community, I 

would like to congratulate them on their 50th 

anniversary and wish them many more years 

of success and prosperity. 

INTRODUCTION OF COMMISSION 

ON AMERICANS LIVING ABROAD 

ACT 

HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY OF NEW YORK

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, August 1, 2012 

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, U.S. citizens 

who live and work abroad serve as American’s 

informal ambassadors, helping to strengthen 

the United States economy and promoting 

American influence around the globe. For 

years I have worked to ensure overseas 

Americans are able to exercise their right to 

vote and have access to banking services. 

Five years ago I formed the Congressional 

Americans Abroad Caucus to focus and bring 

awareness to the concerns of the 4–6 million 

U.S. citizens residing abroad. Because they’re 

scattered across the world, it can be hard for 

Americans living abroad to get the attention of 

Congress. U.S. citizens remain Americans 

wherever they are in the world and should not 

be ignored. 

Americans living and working outside the 

U.S. continue to voice concerns regarding the 

impact of federal policies on voting, access to 

financial institutions, immigration, and taxation. 

Given that these and other federal policies affecting Americans abroad cover an array of 

agencies, we should study the full impact of 

these policies on the overseas community. 

That is why today I am introducing the Commission on Americans Living Abroad Act, creating an Executive Commission expressly 

charged with examining the concerns of U.S. 

citizens living and working abroad. This new 

legislation creates a 15 member panel to 

study the impact of U.S. laws and Executive 

actions on the overseas Americans community. The study would then be used to make 

recommendations for actions Congress and 

the Executive Branch could take to improve 

collaboration and communication of policies 

impacting this community. Through this study 

we can better ensure awareness, coordination, 

and integration of the activities of the federal 

government relating to Americans abroad. 

Thanks to original cosponsors Reps. MICHAEL

HONDA and CHARLES RANGEL for their support 

of the bill and their advocacy on behalf of 

overseas Americans. 

It is time we take a systemic look at all the 

issues affecting our citizens living abroad. 

Through this bipartisan Commission we can 

establish the state of policies and rules affecting Americans abroad so we can better serve 

their needs as they live and work in our global 

economy. I urge my colleagues to support the 

bill. 

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PERSONAL EXPLANATION 

HON. AUSTIN SCOTT OF GEORGIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, August 1, 2012 

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 537, I was unavoidably absent due to my flight being canceled. Had I 

been present, I would have voted ‘‘No.’’ 

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 538, I was unavoidably absent due to my flight being canceled. Had I been present, I would have voted 

‘‘yes.’’ 

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 539, I was unavoidably absent due to my flight being canceled. Had I been present, I would have voted 

‘‘yes.’’ 

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HONORING JOHN BOGERT 

HON. JANICE HAHN OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, August 1, 2012 

Ms. HAHN. Mr. Speaker. I rise today to 

honor the memory of John Bogert, who 

passed away on July 29, 2012 at the age of 

63 following a lengthy battle with cancer. 

John Bogert was a columnist for the Daily 

Breeze, a South Bay local staple, for 28 years. 

In that time, he wrote some 6,500 columns. 

He worked hard, writing five or six columns 

weekly, and his efforts did not go unrecognized. By the end of his life he was known as 

the ‘‘Voice of the South Bay.’’ 

He wrote about anything and everything, but 

some of my favorite columns were those he 

wrote about his family. These columns were 

honest—sometimes brutally so—and gave 

readers insight into a life that often seemed 

very familiar. He had an uncanny ability to 

draw readers into his experiences and after 

reading his columns, his followers felt that 

they knew him. His book signings were characterized by long lines and his appearance at 

local events drew crowds of people waiting to 

shake his hand. He even wrote one of his columns on me as he attempted to capture a 

‘‘Day in the Life of Janice Hahn’’—it was one 

of my favorite writings on my life. 

John was born on October 7, 1948 in Utica, 

New York and spent much of his childhood in 

Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He attended the University of Florida where he started his own 

newspaper and starred on the track team. 

After some time abroad, he moved to Southern California where he was hired by the Daily 

Breeze in 1979. He did not originally plan on 

staying long, but he became one of the 

Breeze’s longest tenured journalists until his 

departure in June of this year. 

He once said in an interview that journalism 

gave him the opportunity to ‘‘meet some pretty 

great people.’’ And indeed he met with so 

many interesting figures, from presidents to 

nuns to an encounter that let him drop the 

line, ‘‘Stalin’s interpreter once told me . . .’’ 

John Bogert leaves behind three children: 

Caitlin, 29, Rachel, 25 and Ian, 18. His eldest 

daughter is expecting his first grandchild in 

September. The granddaughter will be named 

Charlotte, a name picked by John himself. I 

consider myself incredibly lucky to have 

known John, and to have considered him a 

close friend. His family, friends, colleagues 

and so many readers will miss him dearly. I 

know that I will. 

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RECOGNIZING RADIOLOGISTS AND 

THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF 

RADIOLOGY 

HON. PETE SESSIONS OF TEXAS

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, August 1, 2012 

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the International Day of Radiology, and 


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