E2260 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks November 19, 2008 

But that is taking a huge risk with my constituents’ economic futures. Look at it this way: 

If your foolish neighbor accidentally sets his 

apartment on fire, you could just let it burn 

and say that it serves him right. But the truth 

is, you live in the same apartment building: 

unless you call the fire department and use 

taxpayer funds to have it put out, in a short 

time your apartment is going to be destroyed 

by that same fire. 

This bill is not perfect, but improvements 

have been made and protections and accountability have been added to it over the past two 

weeks. Now CEO’s will be prohibited from collecting ‘‘golden parachute’’ payments or huge 

bonuses based on their company’s stock price 

if their institutions want to participate. Also, 

since the federal government will become the 

owner of many troubled mortgages, the bill directs the Treasury Department to try to help 

some of those homeowners stay in their 

homes by easing the terms of the loan in 

ways that might prevent foreclosure and eviction. And if this works as it should, taxpayer 

outlays should be recouped—and perhaps 

even a profit turned—as the federal government sells the mortgages back into the market 

over time. 

Madam Speaker, I had family who lived 

through the Great Depression, and I know that 

when the wider economy tailspins into a depression, it is poor and working families who 

are hit the hardest. I am not willing to stand 

by and do nothing while this crash spreads to 

my constituents. 

f 

HONORING SANTA BARBARA COUNTY FIRE CHIEF JOHN SCHERREI 

HON. LOIS CAPPS OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, today I rise 

to acknowledge Mr. John Scherrei, Fire Chief 

of Santa Barbara County, upon reaching his 

retirement after 38 years of fighting fires. 

Fire Chief Scherrei was appointed as the 

Santa Barbara County Fire Department Chief 

in 1999. He previously had a 28-year career 

with the City of Los Angeles Fire Department 

where he held all ranks from firefighter to Assistant Chief and was often the highest ranking fire official on duty for the Los Angeles 

area. 

During Fire Chief Scherrei’s time with Santa 

Barbara County, the Fire Department has 

added paramedics on its engine companies; 

created and integrated two brush clearing 

crews to the department; acquired the County’s first high-rise tower ladder truck to its firefighting equipment inventory and has successfully deployed two firefighting and rescue helicopters. 

Fire Chief Scherrei also oversaw the merger 

of the Solvang and Orcutt fire departments 

into the County Fire Department and guided 

the Fire Department through both recent wild 

land forest fires: the 2007 Zaca Fire—at about 

240,000 acres the largest fire in the County’s 

known history—and the 9,400-acre Gap Fire 

that occurred earlier this year. In both major 

tires, no lives were lost and no homes were 

destroyed. Most recently, Fire Chief Scherrei 

helped supervise efforts related to the 2,000- 

acre Tea fire, which damaged or destroyed 

219 residences. 

Over the last decade, Fire Chief Scherrei 

has worked with concerned citizens to form 

the Firefighter Alliance, which helps the department acquire urgent, unbudgeted tools 

and equipment and he has helped establish a 

firefighter Benevolent Association which is a 

charity to assist the fire family with personal 

loss, and family tragedy situations. 

Fire Chief Scherrei was also instrumental in 

creating the County’s first memorial event at 

the historic Courthouse Gardens regarding the 

September 11th terrorist attacks and also the 

75th anniversary event commemorating the 

founding of the County Fire Department. 

He has a master’s degree in public administration from Cal Lutheran University and a 

bachelor’s degree in sociology from California 

State University, Northridge. Fire Chief 

Scherrei also proudly served in the U.S. Marine Corps and is a Vietnam Veteran. 

Madam Speaker, Chief Scherrei will retire 

from the County of Santa Barbara on January 

23, 2009. To his wife, Piper; his four children; 

his 11 grandchildren; and to everyone whose 

lives have been enriched by him, Chief 

Scherrei is a man of courage, vigor, and guidance. 

Throughout his tenure as Fire Chief, Mr. 

Scherrei has advanced the state of fire and 

all-hazard emergency response in the County. 

As a result, our residents, businesses and visitors have benefited from his leadership and 

duty to serve. Therefore, I ask my colleagues 

to join me in congratulating Mr. John Scherrei 

for his 38 years as Fire Chief and honor his 

admirable service to the community and our 

country. 

f 

HONORING JUDGE JOEL B. ROSEN, 

RECIPIENT OF THE 2008 JUDGE F. 

GERRY AWARD 

HON. ROBERT E. ANDREWS OF NEW JERSEY

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 

Mr. ANDREWS. Madam Speaker, I rise 

today to commend the Honorable Joel B. 

Rosen, former United States Magistrate Judge 

of the New Jersey District, on receiving the 

2008 Judge John F. Gerry Award. I consider 

Joel a close friend and commend him on 

being honored for his commitment to his profession and his work on behalf of the community. 

This prestigious award is named in honor of 

Judge John F. Gerry who was appointed to 

the United States District Court for the District 

of New Jersey by President Gerald Ford in 

1974. Judge Gerry became the District Court’s 

Chief Judge in 1987 and served in this position until October 1994. The Camden County 

Bar Foundation established the John F. Gerry 

Memorial Scholarship in 2002 as a tribute to 

the humanitarianism and integrity of this respected public servant. 

Judge Rosen’s auspicious career began 

when he served as an Assistant United States 

Attorney, after graduating with honors from 

Rutgers School of Law in Camden. As the attorney-in-charge of the United States Attorney’s office in Camden, he received several 

commendations from the Department of Justice for prosecuting organized crime and political corruption. Judge Rosen also served as 

the Chief of the Special Prosecutions Section 

as a Deputy Attorney General in the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice. In 1987, 

Judge Rosen was sworn in as a United States 

Magistrate Judge for the District of New Jersey where he served until 2006. 

Judge Rosen has also played a noteworthy 

role in educating the next generation of outstanding legal minds. He has been an adjunct 

faculty member of Rutgers School of Law, 

Camden, where he has lectured on class actions and complex litigation. Judge Rosen has 

also taught constitutional principles at Rutgers 

University, Camden and has lectured at numerous continuing legal education programs. 

He is a member of the Disciplinary Oversight 

Committee and the Committee on Minority 

Concerns of the New Jersey Supreme Court. 

Judge Rosen is also a member of the Board 

of the Association of the Federal Bar of New 

Jersey. 

Madam Speaker, over his distinguished career Judge Rosen has been the recipient of 

many distinguished service awards. In 1999, 

The Black Law Students Association presented the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Champions for Social Justice and Equality Award to 

Judge Rosen. Then, in 2004, Judge Rosen 

was presented with the Honorable Joseph M. 

Nardi, Jr. Distinguished Service Award, conferred by Rutgers School of Law, Camden. 

Madam Speaker, I have known Judge 

Rosen for over a decade and have been repeatedly impressed by his intelligence and 

compassion. He is an excellent role-model for 

young Americans considering a career in the 

legal profession. I commend Judge Rosen for 

his many years of service and wish him the 

best of luck in his future endeavors. 

f 

A TRIBUTE TO THE HONORABLE 

JACK SCOTT 

HON. ADAM B. SCHIFF OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 

Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, I rise today 

to commend the Honorable Jack Scott, State 

Senator from California’s 21st District. 

Jack Scott was born and raised in Sweetwater, Texas. An advocate of higher education, he received a bachelor’s degree from 

Abilene Christian College, a master of divinity 

from Yale University, and a Ph.D. in American 

history from Claremont Graduate University. 

Senator Scott began his career as a professor and administrator at Pepperdine University in 1962. He then moved on to Orange 

Coast College, and in 1978, he became President of Cypress College. In 1987, he took 

over the position as President of Pasadena 

City College. As President, he was responsible for the development of its library, Community Education Center, Child Development 

Center, physical education complex, and 

Sculpture Garden. Despite declines in state 

funding, the college had more than $6 million 

in reserve funds when Scott retired from the 

presidency in 1995. 

In 1996, Jack was elected to the California 

State Assembly where he served until 2000, 

when he was elected to the State Senate. 

During his eight-year tenure in the State Senate, he chaired the Senate Committee on Education and the Joint Committee on the Arts. 

Throughout his term, he fought to increase the 


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