[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 172 (Thursday, December 1, 2016)]
[House]
[Page H7064]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            RECOGNIZING LESLIE McGOWAN, HEROINE OF THE MONTH

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Costa) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Leslie McGowan as 
November's Heroine of the Month.
  The Hero or the Heroine of the Month is an individual in the 
community in the San Joaquin Valley in California who goes the extra 
mile to make a positive difference for the people whom I serve.
  Leslie is the CEO of Livingston Community Health, a medical and 
dental provider with community health center locations throughout 
Merced County.
  Leslie has been a part of the team at the Livingston health center 
for over 10 years, and she has been instrumental in the development of 
the success of the health center, which enables residents in Merced 
County to receive health services that would not be otherwise 
available.
  One hundred percent of Merced County is a Health Professional 
Shortage Area--not enough health care. In other words, the county has a 
major shortage of primary care physicians.
  The Livingston health center has an important role in working to fill 
that gap so that no one goes untreated. Most recently, Leslie led the 
efforts for the opening of the Wolves Wellness Center at Livingston 
High School. It is the only school-based health center in Merced 
County. It provides medical care, counseling, and dental services to 
students, their families, and local residents at no or very low cost.
  Additionally, Leslie has implemented programs like the Back to School 
Fair, Homeless Health Day, and an annual scholarship fundraiser to help 
ensure that people know that they have access to quality and affordable 
health services. This was all made available as a result of the 
Affordable Care Act.
  Livingston Community Health and its doctors, nurses, and staff work 
to ensure that individuals who live in rural communities--many rural 
communities throughout this country, many that I represent--and 
throughout Merced County have access to quality, affordable health 
services.
  As a strong supporter of community health centers, it is a pleasure 
to recognize and give a big thank-you to Leslie McGowan and her staff 
of doctors and nurses at Livingston Community Health.


                     Water and California's Drought

  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about water and 
California's ongoing drought. This week, the California Department of 
Water Resources announced that the 2017 initial allocation for the 
State Water Project is 20 percent--not good.
  I join with drought-stricken communities like those in the San 
Joaquin Valley and California farmers, farm workers, and farm 
communities who are all praying that the initial water allocation of 20 
percent improves when the Department of Water Resources issues a final 
allocation not just for the State water projects, but for the Federal 
water projects as well.
  However, with the current operations of California's water system, it 
would take storms of Biblical proportions for these agencies that are 
served by the State and Federal Water Project to be able to increase 
those allocations to 100 percent.
  That is why Congress must act now to pass a California water bill 
that will improve operations to fix our broken water system. We need 
legislation to provide funding to improve our water infrastructure and 
to move more water when larger storms make it available, as in last 
weekend.
  California may soon face a sixth consecutive dry year. Therefore, as 
a result of the drought and the inadequate and broken water system, 
hundreds of thousands of acre-feet of water have been lost, and 600,000 
acres of productive farmland has, unfortunately, been left unplanted.
  Some families in my district do not have reliable water to drink, to 
cook, or to bathe in. The drought, together with the current water 
policies, are devastating to the San Joaquin Valley.
  So, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to work together in these last 
few days as we try to assist the people in Flint, Michigan, and to 
bring together a package of legislation that will end the impasse that 
we have had and provide water if, in fact, the good Lord sees to 
bringing rain and snow to the mountains this winter in California.

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