[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 119 (Monday, July 21, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1509-E1511]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      A TRIBUTE IN RECOGNITION OF THE EXTRAORDINARY AND HISTORIC 
    CONTRIBUTIONS OF TWO COMMERCE ATHLETES, BRENDA VILLA AND PATTY 
           CARDENAS, TO THE SPORT OF U.S. WOMEN'S WATER POLO

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. LUCILLE ROYBAL-ALLARD

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 21, 2008

  Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and 
commend two extraordinary athletes who are members of the United States 
Women's Water Polo Team competing in the Games of the XXIX Olympiad in 
Beijing, China. In addition to being first-generation Mexican American 
Latina trailblazers in the world of competitive water polo, both of 
these exceptional women call the City of Commerce, in the 34th 
Congressional District, their home.
  As children, Brenda Villa and Patty Cardenas learned to play water 
polo and hone their skills at the local swimming club, Commerce 
Aquatics. Looking back on their introduction to the sport, Brenda, now 
28, and Patty, 23, credit the City of Commerce and the club's dedicated 
coaches for encouraging and developing their interest in water polo.
  Today, in a $20 million facility built to Olympic specifications, the 
city continues to encourage young people--the future Brendas and 
Pattys--to participate and excel in water polo. In addition to 
employing two full-time and three part-time youth water polo coaches 
and allocating more than $250,000 a year on its programs, the City of 
Commerce also covers participants' competition-related expenses. These 
expenses might otherwise prevent the community's economically 
disadvantaged youth from participating in tournaments.
  After Commerce Aquatics, Brenda and Patty continued to play water 
polo at Bell Gardens High School.
  When Brenda entered high school in the fall of 1994, the school did 
not have a girls water polo team. With Brenda competing alongside and 
against the male players, the Bell Gardens Boys Water Polo Team won 
four consecutive league championships and back-to-back California 
Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Division III championships.
  In the fall of 1998, following Brenda's graduation, the younger Patty 
entered Bell Gardens High School just in time to join the school's 
newly-formed Girls Water Polo Team. At that point, CIF rules prohibited 
Patty from playing on the Boys Water Polo Team. With Patty as part of 
the high school's first girls team, the female players went on to win 
four consecutive CIF Championships.
  Following high school, both women would go on to realize their dreams 
of playing competitive women's water polo in college and in the 
Olympics.
  At Stanford University, Brenda took a leave of absence to train with 
the Olympic Women's National Team for the 2000 Olympic debut of the 
women's water polo competition in Sydney, Australia. The team won the 
Silver Medal. Two years later, Brenda was awarded the Peter J. Cutino 
Award, an honor given annually to the top female collegiate water polo 
player in the nation. In 2004, as a member of the U.S. Women's National 
Water Polo Team at the Athens Olympics, Brenda and her teammates took 
home the Bronze Medal.
  Between Olympic Games, Brenda achieved another victory. In 2003, when 
she graduated from Stanford with a degree in Political Science, she 
became the first member of her family to earn a college degree.
  Patty stayed closer to home after high school. She enrolled at Golden 
West Community College in Huntington Beach, California. There, Patty 
helped her team win the 2002 California State Championship. In 2005, 
Patty transferred to the University of Southern California where, for 
the past couple of years, she has trained on the U.S. National Women's 
Polo Team.
  The Summer Olympics in Beijing will be Patty's first Olympic 
competition and Brenda's third. This time, with both Commerce athletes 
on the same team, they hope to work together with their other teammates 
to bring home the Gold.
  Madam Speaker, on behalf of the 34th Congressional District and the 
state of California, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating 
Brenda and Patty on their incredible achievements and extending to them 
and their teammates our best wishes for a victorious trip to the 
Beijing Summer Olympics. I can assure you, regardless of how the team 
places, these two remarkable athletes will always be champions to their 
many devoted fans in the City of Commerce. They are among our hometown 
heroes, and we are very proud of them--in and out of the pool.

[[Page E1510]]

                       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, July 22, 2008 may be found in the 
Daily Digest of today's Record.

                           MEETINGS SCHEDULED

                                JULY 23
     9:30 a.m.
       Environment and Public Works
         To hold hearings to examine the Midwest floods, focusing 
           on ways to determine what happened and how to improve 
           managing risk and responses in the future.
                                                            SD-406
       Veterans' Affairs
         To hold an oversight hearing to examine the Department of 
           Veterans Affairs, focusing on responding to the needs 
           of returning United States National Guard and Reserve 
           members.
                                                            SR-418
     9:45 a.m.
       Energy and Natural Resources
         To hold hearings to examine the status of existing 
           federal programs targeted at reducing gasoline demand, 
           focusing on additional proposals for near-term gasoline 
           demand reductions.
                                                            SD-366
     10 a.m.
       Finance
         Business meeting to consider S.J. Res. 44, providing for 
           congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, 
           United States Code, of the rule set forth as 
           requirements contained in the August 17, 2007, letter 
           to State Health Officials from the Director of the 
           Center for Medicaid and State Operations in the Centers 
           for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the State Health 
           Official Letter 08-003, dated May 7, 2008, from such 
           Center, and S.J. Res. 41, approving the renewal of 
           import restrictions contained in the Burmese Freedom 
           and Democracy Act of 2003.
                                                            SD-215
       Foreign Relations
         To hold hearings to examine the nominations of James 
           Christopher Swan, of California, to be Ambassador to 
           the Republic of Djibouti, Alan W. Eastham, Jr., of 
           Arkansas, to be Ambassador to the Republic of the 
           Congo, and W. Stuart Symington, of Missouri, to be 
           Ambassador to the Republic of Rwanda, all of the 
           Department of State.
                                                            SD-419
       Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
         To hold hearings to examine information sharing, focusing 
           on connecting the dots at the Federal, State, and Local 
           levels.
                                                            SD-342
       Judiciary
         To hold hearings to examine courting big business, 
           focusing on the Supreme Court's recent decisions on 
           corporate misconduct and laws regulating corporations.
                                                            SD-226
       Joint Economic Committee
         To hold hearings to examine skyrocketing household costs 
           and falling home prices, focusing on ways to help 
           American families out of this crisis.
                                                            SD-608
     10:30 a.m.
       Appropriations
         To hold oversight hearing to examine the adequacy of 
           defense contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
                                                            SD-106
     11 a.m.
       Aging
         To hold hearings to examine person-centered care, 
           focusing on reforming services and bringing elderly 
           citizens back to the heart of society.
                                                            SD-562
     1:30 p.m.
       Foreign Relations
         To hold hearings to examine the nominations of Tatiana C. 
           Gfoeller-Volkoff, of the District of Columbia, to be 
           Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic, Richard G. Olson, 
           Jr., of New Mexico, to be Ambassador to the United Arab 
           Emirates, David D. Pearce, of Virginia, to be 
           Ambassador to the People's Democratic Republic of 
           Algeria, and Michele Jeanne Sison, of Maryland, to be 
           Ambassador to the Republic of Lebanon, all of the 
           Department of State.
                                                            SD-419
     2 p.m.
       Judiciary
         To hold hearings to examine the nominations of J. Patrick 
           Rowan, of Maryland, and Jeffrey Leigh Sedgwick, of 
           Massachusetts, both to be an Assistant Attorney 
           General, Department of Justice, and William B. Carr, 
           Jr., of Pennsylvania, to be a Member of the United 
           States Sentencing Commission.
                                                            SD-226
     2:30 p.m.
       Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
       Children and Families Subcommittee
         To continue hearings to examine childhood obesity, 
           focusing on declining health of America's next 
           generation (Part II).
                                                            SD-430
       Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
         To hold hearings to examine the nominations of Carol A. 
           Dalton, Anthony C. Epstein, and Heidi M. Pasichow, all 
           of the District of Columbia, all to be an Associate 
           Judge of the Superior Court of the District of 
           Columbia.
                                                            SD-342
     3 p.m.
       Appropriations
       Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee
         Business meeting to markup proposed budget estimates for 
           fiscal year 2009 for the Department of the Interior, 
           Environment, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year 
           ending September 30, 2009.
                                                            SD-124
       Foreign Relations
       International Operations and Organizations, Democracy and 
           Human Rights Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine United Nations peacekeeping, 
           focusing on opportunities and challenges.
                                                            SD-419

                                JULY 24
     9:30 a.m.
       Armed Services
         To receive a closed briefing on Iran.
                                                    S-407, Capitol
       Environment and Public Works
         Business meeting to consider a committee resolution.
                                                            SD-406
       Indian Affairs
         To hold an oversight hearing to examine tribal courts and 
           the administration of justice in Indian country.
                                                            SD-562
     10 a.m.
       Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
       Disaster Recovery Subcommittee
         To hold joint hearings with the House Committee on 
           Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency 
           Communications, Preparedness to examine ways to ensure 
           the delivery of donated goods to survivors of 
           catastrophes.
                                              311, Cannon Building
       Energy and Natural Resources
         To hold hearings to examine current policy related to the 
           strategic petroleum reserve.
                                                            SD-366
       Finance
         To hold hearings to examine the Cayman Islands, focusing 
           on offshore tax issues.
                                                            SD-215
       Judiciary
         To hold hearings to examine crimes associated with 
           polygamy, focusing on the need for a coordinated state 
           and federal response.
                                                            SD-226
       Joint Economic Committee
         To hold hearings to examine small market drugs, focusing 
           on companies exploiting people with rare diseases.
                                                            SD-106
     11:30 a.m.
       Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
         To hold hearings to examine the nomination of James A. 
           Williams, of Virginia, to be Administrator of General 
           Services Administration.
                                                            SD-342
     2 p.m.
       Appropriations
         Business meeting to markup proposed legislation making 
           appropriations for a second emergency supplemental 
           appropriations for fiscal year 2008, and Department of 
           the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, and 
           the Legislative Branch for the fiscal year ending 
           September 30, 2009.
                                                            SD-106
     2:15 p.m.
       Finance
       Energy, Natural Resources, and Infrastructure Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine tax and financing aspects of 
           highway public-private partnerships.
                                                            SD-215

[[Page E1511]]

     2:30 p.m.
       Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
       Federal Financial Management, Government Information, 
           Federal Services, and International Security 
           Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine ways to improve federal 
           program management using performance information.
                                                            SD-342
       Intelligence
         To hold closed hearings to examine certain intelligence 
           matters.
                                                            SH-219

                                JULY 25
     9:30 a.m.
       Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
       Investigations Subcommittee
         To continue hearings to examine financial institutions 
           located in offshore tax havens, focusing on ways to 
           strengthen United States domestic and international tax 
           enforcement efforts.
                                                            SD-342

                                JULY 29
     9:30 a.m.
       Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
       Investigations Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine the magnitude of outstanding 
           payroll tax debt, focusing on the policies and 
           procedures that are used to collect unpaid payroll 
           taxes.
                                                            SD-342
     10 a.m.
       Judiciary
         To hold hearings to examine music and radio in the 21st 
           century, focusing on assuring fair rates and rules 
           across the platforms.
                                                            SD-366
     11 a.m.
       Appropriations
       Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related 
           Agencies Subcommittee
       Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee
         To hold joint hearings to examine food marketing to 
           children, focusing on ways to make it safer.
                                                            SD-192

                                JULY 30
     10 a.m.
       Commerce, Science, and Transportation
         To hold hearings to examine ways to improve consumer 
           protection in the prepaid calling card market.
                                                            SR-253
       Judiciary
         To hold hearings to examine the White House and the 
           Environmental protection Agency (EPA), focusing on 
           impeding congressional oversight.
                                                            SD-226
     2:30 p.m.
       Energy and Natural Resources
       National Parks Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine S. 1816, to authorize the 
           Secretary of the Interior to establish a commemorative 
           trail in connection with the Women's Rights National 
           Historical Park to link properties that are 
           historically and thematically associated with the 
           struggle for women's suffrage, S. 2093, to amend the 
           Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate a segment of 
           the Missisquoi and Trout Rivers in the State of Vermont 
           for study for potential addition to the National Wild 
           and Scenic Rivers System, S. 2535, to revise the 
           boundary of the Martin Van Buren National Historic 
           Site, S. 2561, to require the Secretary of the Interior 
           to conduct a theme study to identify sites and 
           resources to commemorate and interpret the Cold War, S. 
           3011, to amend the Palo Alto Battlefield National 
           Historic Site Act of 1991 to expand the boundaries of 
           the historic site, S. 3113, to reinstate the Interim 
           Management Strategy governing off-road vehicle use in 
           the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, North Carolina, 
           pending the issuance of a final rule for off-road 
           vehicle use by the National Park Service, S. 3148, to 
           modify the boundary of the Oregon Caves National 
           Monument, S. 3158, to extend the authority for the Cape 
           Cod National Seashore Advisory Commission, S. 3226, to 
           rename the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic 
           Site in the State of Kentucky as the ``Abraham Lincoln 
           Birthplace National Historical Park'', S. 3247, to 
           provide for the designation of the River Raisin 
           National Battlefield Park in the State of Michigan, and 
           H.R. 5137, to ensure that hunting remains a purpose of 
           the New River Gorge National River.
                                                            SD-366