[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 16]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 23050]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



              CELEBRATING TAFT, CALIFORNIA, 90TH BIRTHDAY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. WILLIAM M. THOMAS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 17, 2000

  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I want to join my friends and constituents 
in the community of Taft, California in celebrating Taft's 90th 
birthday. On November 7th, Taft will be 90 years old and the town has 
come together to celebrate that fact as part of this year's Oildorado 
Days celebration, entitled ``Blowout 2000''. It is a proud celebration 
of the community's history and ties to the California oil industry.
  Taft is an oil town, pure and simple. From the time of oil's 
discovery in the area in the 1860s, the area around this small western 
Kern County community has been the focus of oil production. Some of the 
biggest producing fields in the lower 48 states are located around 
Taft, fields like Midway-Sunset, Cymric, the Belridge Fields, Buena 
Vista and Elk Hills. Kern County, California produces more oil than the 
State of Oklahoma and the people of Taft do much of the work that makes 
the county so very productive.
  The Oildorado celebration Taft holds every five years is one way the 
community celebrates its link to energy production and lets its hair 
down--literally, since there is a beard growing contest. People who 
work hard producing energy get together to celebrate their commitment 
to a very tough trade. I hope my colleagues will join me in celebrating 
their pride in their work and in their town with them.

                          ____________________