[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 5426]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING THE MERCED COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION 
                               TASK FORCE

  (Mr. COSTA asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, in Boston, we were reminded how 
vulnerable we all are as Americans and how important it is that we stay 
together.
  Today, I rise to recognize the Merced Community Violence Intervention 
and Prevention Task Force. This hardworking organization in the San 
Joaquin Valley that I represent is the 2013 recipient of the Lois 
Haight Award of Excellence and Innovation from the Victims' Rights 
Caucus, of which I am a cochair.
  The task force is an innovative collaboration of local leaders that 
was formed in 2006 in response to gang-related violence throughout the 
Merced community. The task force makes Merced a safer place by 
educating the community about violence, promoting character 
development, and providing information to families and, most 
importantly, our youth.
  From gang awareness workshops to Merced County's first anonymous 
``text a tip'' line, the task force has contributed greatly to our 
Merced community and throughout the area.
  On behalf of the Victims' Rights Caucus, congratulations and thank 
you to the Merced Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Task 
Force.

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