[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 60 (Monday, April 16, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E743-E745]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRATULATING KATY RHOADES, ELIZABETH GHELETA AND PATRICIA BROWN ON 
           BEING AWARDED A JEFFERSON AWARD FOR PUBLIC SERVICE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 16, 2007

  Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to three 
remarkable women in my Congressional District in California. These 
women are distinguished recipients of the prestigious Jefferson Award 
for Public Service in 2006. I would like to express my own personal 
gratitude to these women and share their stories with my colleagues.
  Katy Rhoades is an extraordinary volunteer who has devoted herself to 
improving the quality of life of people with disabilities. She became 
an advocate for the disabled when her son, Kit, was first diagnosed 
with spina bifida. Katy left a career in the insurance industry to care 
full-time for her son. While she worked tirelessly with Kit, she also 
managed to find the time and energy to work with others with 
disabilities in San Mateo County. I am happy to announce that her son, 
now 21, has become a successful, independent young man and is currently 
enrolled at Canada College in Redwood City. Katy has continually given 
of herself, tirelessly advocating for people with disabilities.
  Her work on behalf of disabled people includes serving on the San 
Mateo County Commission on Disabilities, the Health Plan of San Mateo, 
the Meals on Wheels Coalition, New Beginning Coalition and the Second 
Harvest Food Bank. Katy has also worked with the California Children 
Services and the Far-West Wheelchair Sports Association. Katy developed 
the ``Transition to Independence Fair'' to help children with 
disabilities as they grow into adulthood. This unique fair now takes 
place every other year and is growing in importance. Katy Rhoades is an 
incredible ally and friend to people with disabilities. She has made 
her community in the Bay Area a better place for everyone.
  Madam Speaker, Elizabeth Gheleta is another recent winner of the 
Jefferson Award. She has helped rebuild the lives of thousands of San 
Mateo County jail inmates and former inmates, and has also provided 
support and assistance to their children and families.
  A long, distinguished career with the San Mateo County Service League 
has made Elizabeth Gheleta an invaluable and integral part of the 
agency's history. When Proposition 13 closed down the Service League in 
1978, Elizabeth took on a leadership role that salvaged it. She built 
the Service League into a well-established, non-profit community 
organization with 25 staff members and over 500 dedicated volunteers.
  This tireless and visionary woman expanded local in-jail resources to 
include educational programs, religious services, substance abuse 
counseling, and life skills to aid in the transition back into society. 
Elizabeth's success with the Service League has resulted in similar 
programs that have given hundreds of former inmates and their families 
a second chance in life.
  Elizabeth Gheleta has spent 38 years with the Service League, and her 
recent retirement will leave a large void in the agency, but we can all 
take comfort in the knowledge that she leaves behind a strong and 
essential pillar of our community. She refused to give up on prison 
inmates and has given countless men and women the skills and support 
they need in order to return to productive lives in our society.
  Madam Speaker, the third, and certainly not last, extraordinary woman 
I want to tell you about is Patricia Brown, who has retired from the 
Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center after 20 years of service. She has 
been the Executive Director of PCRC since 1992, guiding the non-profit 
organization in its mission to provide conflict management and 
resolution services in San Mateo County. This remarkable organization 
has grown under Patricia's leadership and today trains people to 
communicate and solve problems together, through constructive means. 
Through her vision and commitment, conflict resolution today not only 
involves adults, but children in school as well.
  Patricia is also an active community volunteer, involving herself in 
the creation and development of a number of partnerships, including 
development of the Multi-Option Alternative Dispute Resolution Program. 
She has served on the California Judicial Council's Collaborative 
Justice Courts Advisory Committee and was involved in an innovative 
alliance of San Mateo County non-profits known as Thrive. A founding 
member of the California Dispute Resolution Council and its non-profit 
partner, the California Dispute Resolution Institute, Patricia can 
point to countless success stories relating to successful conflict 
resolution.
  Madam Speaker, let me recognize with great pride Katy Rhoades, 
Elizabeth Gheleta and Patricia Brown, three women who have devoted 
their lives to making our community a stronger, safer and more vibrant 
place to live. These women are gems in San Mateo County and an 
inspiration to all of us. I am honored to be able to highlight their 
accomplishments.

[[Page E744]]

                       SENATE COMMITTEE MEETINGS

  Title IV of Senate Resolution 4, agreed to by the Senate on February 
4, 1977, calls for establishment of a system for a computerized 
schedule of all meetings and hearings of Senate committees, 
subcommittees, joint committees, and committees of conference. This 
title requires all such committees to notify the Office of the Senate 
Daily Digest--designated by the Rules Committee--of the time, place, 
and purpose of the meetings, when scheduled, and any cancellations or 
changes in the meetings as they occur.
  As an additional procedure along with the computerization of this 
information, the Office of the Senate Daily Digest will prepare this 
information for printing in the Extensions of Remarks section of the 
Congressional Record on Monday and Wednesday of each week.
  Meetings scheduled for Tuesday, April 17, 2007 may be found in the 
Daily Digest of today's Record.

                           MEETINGS SCHEDULED

                                APRIL 18
     Time to be announced
       Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
         Business meeting to consider the nomination of Gregory B. 
           Cade, of Virginia, to be Administrator of the United 
           States Fire
       Administration, Department of Homeland Security.
                                                    S-216, Capitol
     9:30 a.m.
       Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
         To hold hearings to examine economic challenges and 
           opportunities facing American agricultural producers 
           today, focusing on livestock, poultry and competition 
           issues.
                                                            SD-106
       Armed Services
       Airland Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine whether the Army is properly 
           sized, organized, and equipped to respond to the most 
           likely missions over the next two decades while 
           retaining adequate capability to respond to all 
           contingencies along the spectrum of combat in review of 
           the Defense Authorization Request for fiscal year 2008 
           and the Future Years Defense Program.
                                                            SR-222
     10 a.m.
       Finance
         To hold hearings to examine the Administration's plan for 
           reducing the tax gap, focusing on goals, benchmarks, 
           and timetables.
                                                            SD-215
       Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
         Business meeting to markup S. 1082, to amend the Federal 
           Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to reauthorize and amend 
           the prescription drug user fee provisions, and the 
           nominations of Douglas G. Myers, of California, Jeffrey 
           Patchen, of Indiana, Lotsee Patterson, of Oklahoma, all 
           to be Members of the National Museum and Library 
           Services Board, Stephen W. Porter, of the District of 
           Columbia, to be a Member of the National Council on the 
           Arts, and Cynthia Allen Wainscott, of Georgia, to be a 
           Member of the National Council on Disability.
                                                            SH-216
       Commerce, Science, and Transportation
       Interstate Commerce, Trade, and Tourism Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine if ``Free Trade'' is working.
                                                            SR-253
       Rules and Administration
         To hold hearings to examine repealing the limitation on 
           party expenditures on behalf of candidates in general 
           elections.
                                                            SR-301
       Small Business and Entrepreneurship
         To hold hearings to examine Public Law 107-204 (Sarbanes 
           Oxley Act) and small business addressing proposed 
           regulatory changes and their impact on capital markets.
                                                           SR-428A
       Appropriations
       State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs 
           Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine proposed budget estimates for 
           fiscal year 2008 for maternal and child health, and 
           family planning and reproductive health.
                                                            SD-124
       Veterans' Affairs
         Business meeting to markup the nomination of Thomas E. 
           Harvey, of New York, to be an Assistant Secretary of 
           Veterans
       Affairs (Congressional Affairs).
                                              Room to be announced
     2:15 p.m.
       Library
       Organizational business meeting to consider an original 
           resolution authorizing expenditures for committee 
           operations and committee's rules of procedure for the 
           110th Congress.
                                                    S-115, Capitol
     2:30 p.m.
       Appropriations
       Energy and Water Development Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine proposed budget estimates for 
           fiscal year 2008 for the Department of Energy.
                                                            SD-138
       Environment and Public Works
         To hold hearings to examine the nomination of Lieutenant 
           General Robert L. Van Antwerp, Jr. to be Chief of 
           Engineers and Commanding General of the United States 
           Army Corps of Engineers.
                                                            SD-406
       Commerce, Science, and Transportation
       Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard Subcommittee
         To hold oversight hearings to examine the President's 
           budget request for fiscal year 2008 for the United 
           States Coast Guard.
                                                            SR-253
       Printing
         Organizational business meeting to consider an original 
           resolution authorizing expenditures for committee 
           operations and committee's rules of procedure for the 
           110th Congress.
                                                    S-115, Capitol
     3 p.m.
       Armed Services
       Readiness and Management Support Subcommittee
       Personnel Subcommittee
         To hold joint hearings to examine the readiness impact of 
           quality of life and family support programs to assist 
           families of Active Duty, National Guard, and Reserve 
           military personnel in review of the Defense 
           Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2008 and the 
           Future Years Defense Program.
                                                           SR-232A
     9:30 p.m.
       Foreign Relations
         To hold hearings to examine the nominations of R. Niels 
           Marquardt, of California, to be Ambassador to the 
           Republic of Madagascar, and to serve concurrently and 
           without additional compensation as Ambassador to the 
           Union of Comoros, Janet E. Garvey, of Massachusetts, to 
           be Ambassador to the Republic of Cameroon, and Phillip 
           Carter, III, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the 
           Republic of Guinea.
                                                            SD-419

                                APRIL 19
     9 a.m.
       Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
         To hold hearings to examine the impact of global warming 
           on private and federal insurance.
                                                            SD-342
     9:30 a.m.
       Armed Services
         To hold hearings to receive testimony on the Department 
           of Defense's management of costs under the Logistics 
           Civil Augmentation Program (LOGCAP) contract in Iraq.
                                                            SD-106
       Judiciary
         To hold oversight hearings to examine the Department of 
           Justice.
                                                            SH-216
     10 a.m.
       Appropriations
       Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies 
           Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine proposed budget estimates for 
           fiscal year 2008 for the Department of Justice.
                                                            SD-192
       Finance
         To hold hearings to examine grains, cane, and automobiles 
           relating to tax incentives for alternative fuels and 
           vehicles.
                                                            SD-215
       Judiciary
         To hold hearings to examine S. 1079, to establish the 
           Star-Spangled Banner and War of 1812 Bicentennial 
           Commission, S. 495, to prevent and mitigate identity 
           theft, to ensure privacy, to provide notice of security 
           breaches, and to enhance criminal penalties, law 
           enforcement assistance, and other protections against 
           security breaches, fraudulent access, and misuse of 
           personally identifiable information, S. 221, to amend 
           title 9, United States Code, to provide for greater 
           fairness in the arbitration process relating to 
           livestock and poultry contracts, S. 495, to prevent and 
           mitigate identity theft, to ensure privacy, to provide 
           notice of security breaches, and to enhance criminal 
           penalties, law enforcement assistance, and other 
           protections against security breaches, fraudulent 
           access, and misuse of personally identifiable 
           information, S. 376, to amend title 18, United States 
           Code, to improve the provisions relating to the 
           carrying of concealed weapons by law enforcement 
           officers, S. 119, to prohibit profiteering and fraud 
           relating to military action, relief, and reconstruction 
           efforts, S. 735, to amend title 18, United States Code, 
           to improve the terrorist hoax statute, H.R. 740, to 
           amend title 18, United States Code, to prevent caller 
           ID spoofing, and the nominations of Robert Gideon 
           Howard, Jr., of Arkansas, to be United States Marshal 
           for the Eastern District of Arkansas, Frederick J. 
           Kapala, of Illinois, to be

[[Page E745]]

           United States District Judge for the Northern District 
           of Illinois, and Benjamin Hale Settle, of Washington, 
           to be United States District Judge for the Western 
           District of Washington; and the possibility of the 
           issuance of certain subpoenas in connection with the 
           investigation into the replacement of United States 
           Attorneys.
                                                            SD-226
       Appropriations
       Military Construction and Veterans' Affairs, and Related 
           Agencies Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine proposed budget estimates for 
           fiscal year 2008 for miltary construction for the Army, 
           Navy, and Marine Corps.
                                                            SD-138
       Commerce, Science, and Transportation
       Science, Technology, and Innovation Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine United States competitiveness 
           through basic research.
                                                            SR-253
       Appropriations
       Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related 
           Agencies Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine rising highway fatalities.
                                                            SD-124
     2 p.m.
       Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
       Federal Financial Management, Government Information, 
           Federal Services, and International Security 
           Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine the current state of the 
           Postal Service along with the efforts underway to 
           implement the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act 
           (Public Law 109-435).
                                                            SD-342
     2:30 p.m.
       Armed Services
       Strategic Forces Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine proposed budget estimates for 
           fiscal year 2008 for the military space programs in 
           review of the Defense Authorization Request and the 
           Future Years Defense Program; with the possibility of a 
           closed session in SR-222 following the open session.
                                                           SR-232A
       Intelligence
         To receive a closed briefing on certain intelligence 
           matters.
                                                    S-407, Capitol
     10 p.m.
       Aging
         To hold hearings to examine bioidentical hormones.
                                                            SD-562

                                APRIL 20
     9:30 a.m.
       Appropriations
       Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related 
           Agencies Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine proposed budget estimates for 
           fiscal year 2008 for the National Institutes of Health, 
           focusing on the burden of chronic diseases.
                                                            SD-116

                                APRIL 23
     3 p.m.
       Energy and Natural Resources
         To hold hearings to examine S. 1115, to promote the 
           efficient use of oil, natural gas, and electricity, 
           reduce oil consumption, and heighten energy efficiency 
           standards for consumer products and industrial 
           equipment.
                                                            SD-366

                                APRIL 24
     9:30 a.m.
       Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
       Disaster Recovery Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine trailers, focusing on 
           creating more flexible, efficient, and cost-effective 
           Federal Disaster Housing Program.
                                                            SD-342
       Armed Services
         To hold hearings to receive testimony on United States 
           Pacific Command, United States Forces Korea, and United 
           States Special Operations Command in review of the 
           Defense Authorization Request for fiscal year 2008 and 
           the Futures Years Defense Program.
                                                            SH-216
     10 a.m.
       Commerce, Science, and Transportation
         To hold hearings to examine communications, broadband and 
           competitiveness relating to how the United States 
           measures up.
                                                            SR-253
       Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
         To hold hearings to examine No Child Left Behind 
           Reauthorization, focusing on modernizing middle and 
           high schools for the twenty-first century.
                                                            SD-628
       Judiciary
       Human Rights and the Law Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine the casualties of war 
           focusing on child soldiers and the law.
                                                            SD-226
     2:30 p.m.
       Judiciary
         To hold hearings to examine the Insurrection Act rider 
           and the state control of the National Guard.
                                                            SD-226

                                APRIL 25
     2 p.m.
       Armed Services
       Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine language technology and 
           training for the Department of Defense.
                                                            SR-325
       Veterans' Affairs
         To hold an oversight hearing to examine the Department of 
           Veterans Affairs, focusing on mental health issues.
                                                            SR-418
     2:30 p.m.
       Commerce, Science, and Transportation
         Business meeting to consider pending calendar business.
                                                            SR-253

                                APRIL 26
     9:30 a.m.
       Armed Services
         To hold hearings to receive testimony on legal issues 
           regarding individuals detained by the Department of 
           Defense as unlawful enemy combatants.
                                                            SH-216
     10 a.m.
       Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
       Employment and Workplace Safety Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine if the Occupational Safety 
           and Health Administration (OSHA) is working for working 
           people.
                                                            SD-628
       Commerce, Science, and Transportation
       Science, Technology, and Innovation Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine clean coal technology.
                                                            SR-253
     2:30 p.m.
       Commerce, Science, and Transportation
       Consumer Affairs, Insurance, and Automotive Safety 
           Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) 
           safety.
                                                            SR-253

                                 MAY 3
     2:30 p.m.
       Commerce, Science, and Transportation
         To hold hearings to examine pending nominations.
                                                            SR-253

                                 MAY 9
     9:30 a.m.
       Veterans' Affairs
         To hold hearings to examine on benefits legislation.
                                                            SD-562

                                 MAY 16
     10 a.m.
       Veterans' Affairs
         To hold hearings to examine the nomination of Michael K. 
           Kussman, of Massachusetts, to be Under Secretary for 
           Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
                                                            SD-562

                                 MAY 23
     9:30 a.m.
       Veterans' Affairs
         To hold hearings to examine on health legislation.
                                                            SD-562