[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 156 (Sunday, September 28, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2138]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    THE HERMOSA BEACH SISTER CITY PROGRAM: 40 YEARS OF GOODWILL AND 
                          ENDURING FRIENDSHIP

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                            HON. JANE HARMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Saturday, September 27, 2008

  Ms. HARMAN. Madam Speaker, to many, Hermosa Beach is a beautiful 
coastal community blessed by perfect weather, endless sun and surf. But 
few would know that it is home to one of the oldest and strongest 
international exchange programs in the United States.
  It all started in 1967, when the Hermosa Beach City Council 
established a ``Sister City'' program with the citizens of Loreto, 
Mexico. Back then, Loreto was a small community on the pristine Baja 
coast of the Sea of Cortez--famous for sport fishing, whales, cave 
paintings and colonial missions. Its Spanish mission, founded in 1697, 
was the first in all of the California's.
  Over the past 40 years, the Hermosa Beach Sister City Association 
(HBSCA) has provided funding and other support for educational and 
humanitarian programs for Loreto. Among the most notable is the middle 
school student exchange program. Every spring, Hermosa Beach 7th and 
8th grade students travel to Loreto--and vice versa--where they gain 
language skills, opportunities to learn about a different culture from 
host families and field trips, and lifetime memories.
  The HBSCA also assists the people of Loreto with critical medical 
care. As recently as 1998, Loreto had no emergency medical treatment 
facilities. Through a partnership between physicians in Loreto and 
Hermosa Beach, the HBSCA has been able to provide badly needed medical 
training and equipment, including paramedic gear and even an ambulance.
  Since its inception, Sister City programs have benefited both cities 
and their citizens. Loreto has become a home away from home for 
Hermosans, who have in turn helped improve the quality of life for 
Loretans. One of our Nation's oldest sister city programs shines as a 
stellar example of the impact global exchange can have on our world.
  I congratulate the citizens of Hermosa Beach and Loreto on achieving 
this impressive milestone.

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