E 1196 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks June 8, 1995

lazy. Nor are we getting rich from program

payments.

Between bureaucrats and the media, farmers take a beating every day. They sensationalize program abuse and tend to forget

those of us trying to make a living.

Unfortunately, most people who are removed from agriculture believe there is an

unlimited flow of financial support from the

government to the farmer. That sir, as you

know, is not true. In fact, our government

has kept the price of our commodities artificially low. You must admit, it’s a consumer

subsidy, not a farm subsidy. Expenses have

risen since the depression. Prices have not.

In countries that have been hungry, governments provide price supports to make

sure their farmers will produce. Japan pays

their farmers $32.88 for each bushel of wheat.

Syria pays $23. Even Bangladesh supports

prices above the United States of America.

Please don’t let the word ‘‘price supports’’

be misunderstood. We are not asking for welfare. We are, in essence, requesting a minimum wage. Unlike most people working for

a minimum wage, we invest for the privilege.

Mr. Secretary, the original intent of the

farm program was to narrow the gap in income between farmers and the rest of the

population. Family farmers still stand to

benefit from that ideal, but the current

abuse of the programs allow the largest 18%

of farms to collect 2⁄3 of the benefits. The

time has come to change the programs, not

throw them out. Target the benefits, based

on production, to family farmers. Reward

the efforts of the farmers who continue to

provide quality food for America’s families

while struggling to feed his own. The new

wealth created by a fair price would revitalize rural and urban main streets across the

country.

Finally, we may be only 2% of the population, but that means that 98% of the population depends on us to provide their food.

I’d say that makes us an extremely important part of this country. I’d say that deserves the respect of anyone who had breakfast this morning or supper last night. I’d

say we are worth the effort of a farm bill

that directs program benefits to farm families who risk everything every year.

AUTHORIZING A CALIFORNIA

Wouldn’t you?

URBAN ENVIRONMENTAL REfSEARCH CENTER

HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, June 7, 1995

Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, today I am reintroducing legislation to authorize the Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] to establish a California Urban Environmental Research and Education Center [CUEREC].

I am honored to be joined in this effort by

13 California colleagues: Mr. DELLUMS, Ms.

PELOSI, Mr. HORN, Mr. LANTOS, Mr. MATSUI,

Mr. MILLER, MS. WOOLSEY, Mr. MINETA, Ms.

ESHOO, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr. TORRES, Mr.

WAXMAN, and Mr. FILNER.

Legislation to authorize EPA research programs was unfortunately not acted upon in the

last Congress. However, CUEREC did receive

a line item in the 1995 Department of VA,

HUD, and Independent Agencies appropriations bill to cover start-up costs. This line item

has allowed CUEREC to begin its first year of

operation and the center was dedicated on

October 21, 1994 at a tree planting ceremony

on the Cal State Hayward campus.

The bill requests $4.5 million for fiscal year

1996 because CUEREC is mandated to work

with all 22 California State Universities in its

2nd year of operation and because CUEREC

will need this level of support to carry out the

activities set out for it in the legislation.

Currently, CUEREC is in the process of linking California’s major university systems—the

Cal State University [CSU] campuses, the University of California [UC] campuses, as well as

private universities and colleges—to deal with

the employment and environmental challenges

of California’s military base closures and defense conversion. Among other activities

CUEREC will: help remove market barriers for

small environmental business enterprise development; help in military base conversion

and utilization focused on increasing sustainable economic development and job creation

throughout California; encourage the transfer

of government developed and/or sponsored

environmental technology to the private sector

while working closely with such laboratories as

Lawrence Livermore, Sandia, and LawrenceBerkeley; encourage the funding of viable environmental projects throughout California; assist women and minority owned small businesses in complying with local, State, and

Federal environmental regulations and taking

advantage of opportunities in sustainable economic development; avoid duplication in environmental research and education programs

by developing an on-line data base of such

activities available to all California universities

and colleges; help coordinate Cal State and

UC environmental applied research and education programs; and advise local, State, and

Federal officials on the economic and

envionmetal implications of development programs throughout California.

Prior to CUEREC, no EPA sponsored research center had been established in California. Seventeen such EPA sponsored research

centers have already been established in

other States. CUEREC would be the first to

focus on urban environmental policy, base closures, and defense conversion environmental

problems. CUEREC would also be the first to

include all of the universities and colleges in a

single State.

Both Senators were very supportive of the

legislation last year. CUEREC is a unique program, providing many important benefits for

California and a cost effective model; university based program for the Nation and I urge

my California colleagues to support it.

MARY N.D. MATANANE, GUAM

NURSES ASSOCIATION 1995

fNURSE OF THE YEAR

HON. ROBERT A. UNDERWOOD OF GUAM

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, June 7, 1995

Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I would

like to take this occasion to commend Mary

N.D. Matanane, an outstanding member of

Guam’s island community, for having been

chosen as the Guam Nurses Association’s

Nurse of the Year for 1995.

For over two decades, Mary Matanane has

dedicated herself to the health care profession, working for both the private and public

sectors. Prior to her retirement from government service, she worked for a total of over 19

years with the Guam Memorial Hospital and

the Department of Public Health and Social

Services. She currently serves as the assistant director and clinical supervisor at Clark

Home Nursing Service.

Throughout this time, Mary worked toward

uniting the members of Guam’s nursing profession and improving the quality of health

care available on the island serving as president and director-at-large of the Guam nurses

Association for the past 18 years. In addition

to her significant role in several of the association’s committees, she also served as chairperson for the Governor’s Task Force for Maternal Child Health and the Maternal and Child

Health Advisory Council.

Her devotion to the community through the

nursing profession has resulted in a number of

awards including the 1994 ANA Search for Excellence Award, the 1993 National League for

Nursing Centennial Leadership Award, the

1993 Department of Public Health and Social

Services Supervisor of the Year Award. It is

only befitting for her to be selected as 1995’s

Nurse of the Year.

On behalf of the people of Guam, I congratulate Mary Matanane for having been chosen as the Guam Nurses Association’s Nurse

of the Year for 1995. We commend her efforts, hard work, and contributions to the island.

IN RECOGNITION OF A DEDICATED

EDUCATOR, RICHARD F. PULICE

f

HON. ESTEBAN EDWARD TORRES OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, June 7, 1995

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

recognize a special individual, dedicated educator, and childhood friend, Richard F. Pulice,

director of instruction, Montebello Unified

School District.

Richard has dedicated over 34 years of

service to providing the children of Montebello

with a superior public education. Immediately

upon graduating from Occidental College in

1961, Richard began his longstanding career

by teaching at Bandini Elementary School in

the city of Commerce. He taught at Bandini

until 1969. During this time he also earned his

masters degree in education administration,

which he received from Whittier College in

1967.

For the next 18 years, Richard proceeded to

hold various principal positions throughout the

Montebello Unified School District. He was

principal at Bella Vista Elementary, Suva Elementary, and Potrero Heights Elementary. In

1987, Richard was appointed as director of elementary instruction for the Montebello Unified

School District and in 1992, he was appointed

director of instruction, a position he currently

holds.

In addition to his extensive professional accomplishments, Richard has been involved in

local, county, and State efforts to improve our

educational system. He has served as an advisor to Montebello’s Board of Education and

superintendent on current issues and trends in

education. Richard is also responsible for the

overall coordination and implementation of the

instructional program from kindergarten