July 30, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S5657 

the 100th anniversary of the founding 

of the city of Melba, Idaho. Starting 

August 17, 2012, the citizens of Melba 

will gather throughout the weekend to 

commemorate this special time in 

their southwestern Idaho community. 

Melba was founded by Clayton C. 

Todd, naming the yet-to-be town after 

his 4-year-old daughter. Stopping in 

Idaho on his way to Alaska to mine for 

gold, Mr. Todd heard about a State 

land sale. He purchased 160 acres of 

land and laid out the town site. He had 

done his homework and saw that this 

land with a siding on the railroad and 

expanding farms throughout the area 

would cut five miles off the route to 

the nearest town of Nampa and the 

mainline railroad. 

Melba became a small boom town in 

the middle of an agricultural area. 

Shortly after World War I, the area became famous for its sweet corn seed. 

Area farmers expanded their seed operations to grow carrot, onion and alfalfa 

seed, along with the corn. The rich, fertile soil, abundant water and the hot 

summer days with cool nights earned 

Melba the moniker ‘‘The Seed Heart of 

America.’’ 

Like many small communities in our 

great country, they have seen times of 

struggle. In 1949, Melba was hit hard by 

an epidemic of infantile paralysis, also 

known as polio. The residents not only 

supported one another, in 1950 they 

held the first Polio Auction, raising 

$2,000 for medical research on the disease. Now called the Melba Community 

Auction, area residents continue the 

tradition of helping one another as 

they raise funds for nonprofit organizations that provide services to those in 

and around Melba. 

The spirit of small town America is 

alive and well in Melba. They believe 

in helping their neighbors as well as 

strangers. Their schools are a source of 

pride and strongly supported by the 

community. And as to their Fourth of 

July celebration? Let me put it this 

way—no one can question their patriotism and love of America! Theirs is a 

grand celebration of our Nation’s birthday. 

So, Madam President, I am very 

proud to recognize this landmark anniversary and congratulate the community of Melba for this centennial. 

Melba has much to celebrate as well as 

to look forward to in its next century.

f 

∑ 

TRIBUTE TO REX E. KIRKSEY 

∑ Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Madam 

President, I, on behalf of my colleague 

Senator BINGAMAN and myself, wish to 

recognize Rex E. Kirksey on the occasion of his retirement, following a distinguished career serving the agricultural community in our home State of 

New Mexico and elsewhere. 

Mr. Kirksey has dedicated 32 years of 

his life working for New Mexico State 

University to improve agricultural outreach and to facilitate vital research. 

As the Superintendent of the NMSU 

Agricultural Science Center in 

Tucumcari, NM, Mr. Kirksey oversaw 

research programs focusing on developing forage and grazing systems for 

irrigated lands in New Mexico and the 

western United States. 

In 2003, he took on additional responsibilities as superintendent of the Agricultural Science Center in Clovis, NM. 

Under his leadership, that institution 

emerged as the State’s leading off-campus center with nationally and internationally recognized programs in 

agronomy, dairy management, peanut 

breeding, and crop stress physiology. 

During his tenure at New Mexico 

State University, Mr. Kirksey authored 

many professional publications, including peer reviewed journal articles, proceedings papers, research reports and 

bulletins, progress reports and published abstracts, and an extensive 

range of business reports and correspondence. He has also given numerous presentations to industry and peer 

groups. 

In addition to his work domestically, 

Mr. Kirksey has been involved with the 

Afghanistan Water, Agriculture, and 

Technology Transfer, AWATT, 

project—a partnership with USAID and 

New Mexico State University. This 

project aims to improve the community and farm-level management of the 

supply and demand of irrigation water 

resources for increased agricultural 

productivity and food security in Afghanistan. He also has worked with the 

Botswana Sustainable Agriculture Initiative, an international consortium 

with a goal to develop an integrated, 

sustainable agricultural system. The 

Botswana Initiative will assist both 

small and large farms to employ conservation agriculture practices to increase fresh water availability, grow 

more nutritious food, build agricultural infrastructure, create more agricultural jobs, and stimulate enterprise 

creation in rural areas. 

Mr. Kirksey’s leadership and expertise has made a difference in the lives 

of so many people in our Nation, as 

well as other parts of the world. Senator BINGAMAN and I thank Mr. 

Kirksey for his commitment and dedication to the people of New Mexico and 

to our agricultural communities. We 

would also like to thank his wife 

Cyndie and their three children for always supporting Rex in his endeavors. 

Thanks to his work and the work of 

our land grant institutions, farmers 

and ranchers across the country have 

access to the resources they need to 

help ensure our country’s future competitiveness in an increasingly global 

economy. 

We wish Mr. Kirksey continued success, and a most happy retirement.

f 

∑ 

MESSAGE FROM THE HOUSE 

At 2:28 p.m., a message from the 

House of Representatives, delivered by 

Mrs. Cole, one of its reading clerks, announced that the House has passed the 

following bill, in which it requests the 

concurrence of the Senate: 

H.R. 4078. An act to provide that no agency 

may take any significant regulatory action 

until the unemployment rate is equal to or 

less than 6.0 percent. 

f 

MEASURES PLACED ON THE 

CALENDAR 

The following bill was read the second time, and placed on the calendar: 

H.R. 6082. An act to officially replace, 

within the 60-day Congressional review period under the Outer Continental Shelf 

Lands Act, President Obama’s Proposed 

Final Outer Continental Shelf Oil & Gas 

Leasing Program (2012–2017) with a congressional plan that will conduct additional oil 

and natural gas lease sales to promote offshore energy development, job creation, and 

increased domestic energy production to ensure a more secure energy future in the 

United States, and for other purposes. 

f 

MEASURES READ THE FIRST TIME 

The following bills were read the first 

time: 

H.R. 4078. An act to provide that no agency 

may take any significant regulatory action 

until the unemployment rate is equal to or 

less than 6.0 percent. 

S. 3457. A bill to require the Secretary of 

Veterans Affairs to establish a veterans jobs 

corps, and for other purposes. 

f 

EXECUTIVE AND OTHER 

COMMUNICATIONS 

The following communications were 

laid before the Senate, together with 

accompanying papers, reports, and documents, and were referred as indicated: 

EC–7004. A communication from the Director of Congressional Affairs, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, transmitting, pursuant 

to law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Requirements for Distribution of Byproduct 

Material’’ ((RIN3150–AH91) (NRC–2008–0338)) 

received in the Office of the President of the 

Senate on July 24, 2012; to the Committee on 

Environment and Public Works. 

EC–7005. A communication from the Director of Congressional Affairs, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, transmitting, pursuant 

to law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘NRC 

Regulatory Issue Summary 2012–08: Developing Inservice Testing and Inservice Inspection Programs Under 10 CFR Part 52’’ (RIS 

2012–08) received in the Office of the President of the Senate on July 24, 2012; to the 

Committee on Environment and Public 

Works. 

EC–7006. A communication from the Director of the Regulatory Management Division, 

Environmental Protection Agency, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; South Carolina 110(a)(1) 

and (2) Infrastructure Requirements for the 

1997 and 2006 Fine Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards’’ (FRL 

No. 9705–8) received in the Office of the President of the Senate on July 25, 2012; to the 

Committee on Environment and Public 

Works. 

EC–7007. A communication from the Director of the Regulatory Management Division, 

Environmental Protection Agency, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Tennessee: Prevention of 

Significant Deterioration and Nonattainment New Source Review; Fine Particulate 

Matter (PM2.5)’’ (FRL No. 9704–7) received in 


smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with SENATE