[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 160 (Wednesday, September 16, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H4432-H4433]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      WILDFIRES RAVAGE WEST COAST

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Peters) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PETERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the wildfires 
currently ravaging the West Coast of the United States.
  More than 85 major fires, spanning from Washington State to Southern 
California are burning, as I speak. Thirty-five people have died, only 
ashes remain in hundreds of communities, tens of thousands have fled 
their

[[Page H4433]]

homes and many individuals are still missing. Some survivors compare 
the site of the flames to the gates of hell.
  This year alone, California has seen over 2,600 more fires and a 
nearly 2,000 percent increase in the acres burned compared to this time 
last year. That is according to the California Department of Forestry 
and Fire Protection, or Cal-Fire.
  The frequency and intensity are no accident. We used to refer to 
early fall as ``wildfire season'' but the threat of these fires is now 
present throughout the year.
  In San Diego and in other areas of Southern California, dry and arid 
conditions, paired with high temperatures, can make for a deadly 
combination. The Valley fire in eastern San Diego County, which is now 
87 percent contained, burned almost 18,000 acres of land and prompted 
the closure of the Cleveland National Forest.

                              {time}  0915

  That fire started 10 days ago, but smoke and haze across the county 
are barely now beginning to clear. The air quality continues to pose a 
risk for sensitive groups. This fire is only the latest in a long 
history of destructive fires in San Diego County.
  I call on my fellow Members of Congress to accept and recognize this 
truth: Our actions don't exist in a vacuum. The consequences of our 
actions lead to rising temperatures and more extreme natural events, 
including hurricanes, droughts, and flooding.
  It is not a matter of belief. Yearly patterns show us how these 
changes aren't natural. They are man-made. They are climate change.
  We owe it to every single firefighter and first responder to act on 
this issue now. Every day, they risk their lives in the blistering 
heat, not knowing if they will make it back home. We are beyond 
grateful for their bravery and their unwavering dedication to public 
safety.
  These conditions leading to the devastation on the West Coast are 
preventable, but the only way forward is through bipartisan 
partnerships to address the key drivers of climate change. Saving 
lives, infrastructure, and our lands from the effects of severe weather 
require concrete and swift action on the climate crisis now.


            Recognizing Alice Johnson on Her 100th Birthday

  Mr. PETERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the birthday of an 
extraordinary constituent and American hero.
  She is a World War II veteran, a U.S. Army Corps nurse, a Purple 
Heart recipient, a proud American patriot, an activity community 
member, and a birthday card enthusiast.
  She is the remarkable Alice Johnson of Rancho Bernardo, California. I 
commend her service to our country, love of adventure, dedication to 
the well-being of others, and fun-loving spirit as she reaches this 
momentous milestone of 100 years.
  Alice Johnson was born on September 12, 1920, in Cambridge, 
Massachusetts. She completed her nursing education in 1941.
  After Pearl Harbor, she enlisted in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps. Her 
unit arrived in Okinawa, Japan, on Easter Sunday in 1945, where she 
helped establish a field hospital ahead of the U.S. invasion of Japan.
  A few months later, eight Japanese Kamikaze planes descended upon the 
island, and U.S. troops attempted to shoot them down. Alice was injured 
in the crossfire and evacuated to Hawaii for surgery. She was awarded a 
Purple Heart after her service overseas.
  Later in life, Alice served as a flight attendant for United 
Airlines, back when flight attendants were required to be nurses.
  Always interested in nursing and travel, she accepted a nursing 
position at a hospital in Aruba. There, she met and married John 
Johnson, and together, they had four children.
  Alice moved back to the U.S. and continued her nursing career at a 
private cancer practice, at a burn hospital, and as a public health 
nurse for vision and hearing tests in schools.
  After her retirement, Alice settled in Rancho Bernardo, California, 
near her family, and remains active, attending Hope United Methodist 
Church, square dancing with friends, and playing mahjong at the Poway 
Senior Center.
  Her daughter, Elaine, and son-in-law, Bill, reached out to me to 
share her life stories worthy of celebration as she becomes a 
centenarian.
  I am overjoyed to wish Alice Johnson the very happiest 100th 
birthday. On behalf of the constituents of California's 52nd District, 
we honor her selfless service in World War II, her dedicated career as 
a nurse, and the joy she continuously brings to all who know her.
  I wish a happy 100th birthday to Alice. She is a treasure to us all.

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