September 11, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1473 

Today, America is a brighter beacon of freedom than she ever has been. We remain a 

nation inspired by the sacrifices of those before us and committed to the ideals they 

fought so dearly to protect. Mr. Speaker, we 

will never forget the loved ones and the heroes lost on that day. 

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HONORING JOHN TOS 

HON. JIM COSTA OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, September 11, 2012 

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 

honor Mr. John Tos of Kings County, California, as he is recognized by the Lemoore 

Chamber of Commerce as the 2012 

Agriculturalist of the Year. A third generation 

farmer, John has been farming since 1961. 

John has consistently maintained a deep commitment to his family, faith, and community— 

which serves as a clear testament to his superior moral character. He is well deserving of 

this honor. 

A passionate and proud son of the agriculturally rich San Joaquin Valley, John has 

earned the respect and admiration of his 

friends and neighbors. Tos Farms was started 

in 1912, north of Hanford in an area called 

Queen Wilhelmina Colony by Joe Tos, John’s 

grandfather. John’s father and his Uncle Larry 

were the second generation to take over the 

family farming operation. Since then, John and 

his son Jeff, along with Bill’s son, Mark, have 

become partners in the farming operation— 

making Tos Farms, Inc. a four generation, 

one-hundred year old farming operation. 

Clearly, the Tos Family is a living example of 

the American Dream—an illustration of success that shows overcoming adversity and 

achieving success is possible through hard 

work and perseverance. 

Today, Tos Farms employs an average of 

250 to 300 people, many of whom have been 

with the company for as long as 30 to 40 

years. 

John is not only being honored by the 

Lemoore Chamber of Commerce for his exemplary work ethic, he is also being recognized 

for his meaningful contributions to our community. He and his wife of 50 years, Victoria Tos, 

have been members of the Christian Reformed Church, where John has served on the 

Church Council and as Deacon. In addition, 

John has dedicated his time to the Hanford 

Christian and Central Valley Christian School 

Boards. He was also a member of the California Tree Fruit Agreement (CTFA) for 30 

years. Currently, John serves on the Marana 

and Sierra Village Retirement Homes Board of 

Directors. John also acts as Director of the 

California Grape and Tree Fruit League, the 

Kingsburg Federal Land Bank Association, 

and the Burris Park Foundation. John’s steadfast devotion to his community is evident from 

his loyalty and extensive contributions to our 

Valley. 

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me 

in honoring Mr. John Tos for his numerous 

contributions to California agriculture, the San 

Joaquin Valley, and our Nation. His selfless 

nature and strong work ethic, truly exemplifies 

the best of what our Nation has to offer. 

INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP ACT 

OF 2012 

HON. JOHN P. SARBANES OF MARYLAND

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, September 11, 2012 

Mr. SARBANES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today 

to introduce the Instructional Leadership Act of 

2012, which will strengthen schools by helping 

principals become high-performing instructional leaders. 

The passage of No Child Left Behind 

(NCLB) charged school principals with additional responsibilities. They not only serve as 

organizational leaders, ensuring that school 

culture and resources support teaching and 

learning, but they are also accountable for student achievement and the broader goals of 

NCLB. Unfortunately, principals often lack the 

appropriate training and resources needed to 

accomplish these goals. It is time to bring attention to the importance of developing programs that train principals on the best practices to guide instruction in schools, so that 

they can more effectively support teachers in 

improving student academic achievement. 

The Instructional Leadership Act of 2012 

provides grants to State and local educational 

agencies to drive gains in academic achievement for all children by: 1) Creating innovative 

programs and sites to train principals in instructional leadership skills including developing a school vision, staff development, and 

effective instructional practices; 2) Developing 

pilot programs to evaluate the incorporation of 

standards of instructional leadership into State 

principal certifications; and 3) Establishing 

state-of-the-art principal induction programs 

that provide mentoring and on-the-job training 

for new principals. 

This legislation is strongly supported by the 

National Association of Elementary School 

Principals (NAESP) and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), 

two of the leading organizations working to develop and promote excellence in school leaders. The Instructional Leadership Act of 2012 

represents a necessary first step towards developing the next generation of school leaders 

who are committed to, and effective in, increasing student achievement. I will continue 

working to include this bill in the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act during the next Congress, and I 

urge you to join me in championing our Nation’s principals by supporting this important 

piece of legislation. 

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PERSONAL EXPLANATION 

HON. TIMOTHY V. JOHNSON OF ILLINOIS

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, September 11, 2012 

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, on 

Monday, September 10, 2012 I had obligations that necessitated my attention in Champaign, Illinois and missed suspension votes on 

H.R. 6186, which directs FEMA to assess options, methods, and strategies for making voluntary community-based flood insurance policies available through the National Flood Insurance Program. H.R. 2139, which directs 

the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and 

issue as legal tender $1 coins in commemoration of the centennial of the founding of the 

Lions Clubs International. And lastly, H.R. 

6122, which directs the Librarian of Congress 

to accept in the interest of the Library of Congress, its collections, or its service personal 

property valued at $25,000 or less, nonpersonal services, or voluntary and uncompensated personal services. 

Had I been present, I would have voted 

‘‘aye’’ on the above stated bills. 

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HONORING NEIL ARMSTRONG 

HON. ADAM B. SCHIFF OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, September 11, 2012 

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 

honor the life and legacy of a true American 

hero, the first human being to walk on the 

moon, Neil Alden Armstrong. 

I had the privilege of meeting Neil Armstrong, and even introduced my son Eli to him 

at an event commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing. It has been said 

that ‘‘we’re all dreamers,’’ but Neil Armstrong 

inspired generations of Americans to dream 

big and reach for the stars, both literally and 

figuratively. He believed that the yearning to 

explore is part of what makes us human and 

his singular achievement on July 20, 1969 still 

inspires. 

A reluctant hero, Mr. Armstrong never used 

his Apollo 11 achievement for personal gain. 

On more than one occasion he questioned his 

own notoriety, protesting that his walk on the 

moon was the result of the dedication of more 

than four hundred thousand people from engineers who designed the Lunar Module to 

ground controllers who monitored every aspect of the mission, to seamstresses, who 

stitched by hand the suit that kept him alive on 

the moon. 

The late 1960’s was a time of tumult in 

America, when our nation was riven by Vietnam, the struggle for civil rights and the 

emerging women’s movement. In the midst of 

this, Armstrong’s climb down the lunar module’s ladder and his ‘‘giant leap for mankind’’ 

united not just Americans, but people of all nations as they watched. That night . . . July 

20th, 1969, countless children—including a 

nine-year old boy in Framingham, Massachusetts—looked up at the moon and dared to 

dream. 

Neil Armstrong is no longer with us, but it is 

a remarkable testament that even now—more 

than four decades after Eagle landed on the 

Moon—the mission of Apollo 11 still inspires 

us and challenges us to press forward in the 

exploration of space. 

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HONORING THE IZAAK WALTON 

LEAGUE OF AMERICA’S 90TH ANNIVERSARY 

HON. BETTY McCOLLUM OF MINNESOTA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, September 11, 2012 

Ms. MCCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today 

to honor the Izaak Walton League as it celebrates 90 years of defending Minnesota’s 

great outdoors. 


tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with REMARKS