[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 16132-16138]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            RETIRING MEMBERS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 6, 2015, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren) is 
recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.
  Ms. LOFGREN. Madam Speaker, I am honored to be here this evening to 
talk about the remarkable records of five individuals who are retiring 
from the Congress. I have had the honor of chairing the California 
Democratic delegation for many years; and these five Members--
Representative Sam Farr, Representative Lois Capps, Representative 
Loretta Sanchez, Representative Mike Honda, and Representative Janice 
Hahn--are going home to California after serving distinguished careers 
here in the House.


                         The Honorable Sam Farr

  Ms. LOFGREN. Madam Speaker, I will start with my near neighbor, who 
has served since 1993. He came in in a special election, and that is 
Congressman Sam Farr. He has honorably represented the central coast of 
California for more than 40 years and here in Congress for the last 23.
  Sam was born and raised in the Monterey County area. Before his 
service here in the House, he early on served in the Peace Corps in 
Colombia, and his wonderful fluent Spanish is a product of his Peace 
Corps service in Colombia. To this day, he has a special soft spot for 
that country.
  As the ranking member on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on 
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and

[[Page 16133]]

Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, he has championed safe and 
nutritious food for consumers, farmers, and producers. He has made sure 
that the need of getting fresh food into school lunches has never been 
far from our thoughts, and he has had remarkable success there, which 
has served the health of children across the country.
  After serving in the Peace Corps, Sam represented his constituents on 
the Monterey County Board of Supervisors for 6 years. As a member of 
the Board of Supervisors, he continued to fight for environmental 
issues and for people who were disadvantaged. After that, he served in 
the California Legislature.
  Sam founded the bipartisan House Oceans Caucus and authored the 
Oceans Act, which created the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy.
  He is the longest serving Democrat on the Subcommittee on Military 
Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies. And while he 
served on that subcommittee, he did something simply remarkable. We all 
know that bases across the United States were closed under the BRAC 
system, and one of those bases was the Fort Ord military base. It is 
the biggest California base, and it left a hole in that county. What 
Sam did was, he worked with the local community to make sure that that 
base could be repurposed to good use, and he led the effort to make the 
Cal State University at Monterey a reality at Fort Ord.
  Sam is a former chair of the congressional Democratic delegation and 
did such a great job when he chaired this group. He stands for peace, 
for diplomacy. Sam is always standing up for the little guy. And one of 
the things in addition to that is that he has been the photographer for 
House Democrats. Whenever we go anywhere, Sam is there with his camera, 
and we really don't know who is going to keep track of our activities 
when Sam retires.
  We wish him well. We know he is going to have a great time in the 
serene beauty of the region where he grew up. He said: It is time to go 
home and be a grandpa. And we know that he is a wonderful grandpa.


                        The Honorable Lois Capps

  Ms. LOFGREN. Madam Speaker, Lois Capps is also retiring. Lois was 
sworn in on March 17, 1998. But I remember the day that her late 
husband, Walter Capps, passed away unexpectedly. She and Walter were on 
their way to the Capitol, and Walter passed away.
  We had an unplanned Special Order here. We were all so shocked that 
that had happened. And Lois was here with us. She later went on to run 
for the seat that her husband had represented really for a short time: 
Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and parts of Ventura County. She has 
represented that area with tremendous distinction.
  You know, she will be the first to tell you, she never expected to be 
a Member of Congress. She is a former nurse, a public health advocate. 
She was a school nurse and still talks about the work she did as a 
school nurse with children. And when she got elected to Congress, she 
was committed to improving schools, to quality health care, and a 
cleaner environment. She built a legacy of commonsense solutions that 
have helped make her district, her State, and our country cleaner, 
healthier, and more sustainable.
  And here is something not everyone knows; but when they hear it, it 
makes so much sense. She has been voted the nicest Member of Congress 
over and over again, and so she is.
  She serves on the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee and sits on 
the Health Subcommittee, the Energy and Power Subcommittee, as well as 
the Environment and the Economy Subcommittee. She has focused on 
Medicare reform, the nursing shortage, mental health, the protection of 
our air and water. She also serves on the House Natural Resources 
Committee.
  Lois is someone who not only serves with distinction but who is a 
warm friend. We will miss her greatly next Congress, but we know that 
she deserves the retirement that she has earned, and she will be going 
home to her beautiful district.


                     The Honorable Loretta Sanchez

  Ms. LOFGREN. Madam Speaker, our colleague Loretta Sanchez is a true 
trailblazer. Beginning with her election in 1996, where in then-
Republican Orange County, she had an upset victory against former 
Representative Bob Dornan. She defeated Representative Dornan by less 
than 1,000 votes.

                              {time}  1945

  When she got here, she immediately tried to do what she could for the 
defense of this Nation. She has served honorably as a senior member on 
the House Committee on Armed Services and the House Committee on 
Homeland Security and ranking member of the Subcommittee on Tactical 
Air and Land Forces. She is considered a leader on military and 
national security issues.
  She is also the co-chair of the Congressional Women in the Military 
Caucus, where she advocated for female servicemembers to serve in 
combat roles, and she fought to end sexual assault in the Armed Forces.
  She served on the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, where she made 
sure our Nation is prepared for anything, any missile or nuclear 
attack.
  Another thing that I know so well about Loretta is how much she cares 
about human rights, and specifically her advocacy for human rights in 
Vietnam. She and I have co-chaired the Congressional Caucus on Vietnam. 
She has gone to Vietnam, and she is a reliable, vocal, smart, and 
dedicated advocate for human rights, for religious freedom and labor 
rights for people in Vietnam.
  Obviously a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, she served 
in the past as co-chair of the Immigration Task Force. She is a 
spectacular person. I will miss her a great deal, and I am thinking 
about who do I go to on the committee to talk about the nerdy but 
important things like the National Ignition Facility and big science 
projects that are also part of the armed services. She has served her 
country so well.


                        The Honorable Mike Honda

  Ms. LOFGREN. Madam Speaker, Mike Honda will also be going home. I 
have had the honor of knowing Mike Honda for many decades. As a matter 
of fact, I think I first met Mike when he was serving on the planning 
commission of the city of San Jose, appointed by then-Mayor Norm 
Mineta, who later became a Member of Congress. He was later elected to 
the San Jose Unified School Board, and then to the Santa Clara County 
Board of Supervisors. In fact, Mike and I served together on the Santa 
Clara County Board of Supervisors.
  Many of us know his history. During World War II, Mike Honda and his 
family spent 3 years imprisoned in an internment camp for Japanese 
Americans. That experience, I think, was the beginning of the fuel for 
his zeal in his fight for civil rights, for public service, and against 
discrimination. We will miss him because, although we have a very 
distinguished member in Doris Matsui, who was actually born in an 
internment camp, I believe that Mike Honda is the last of our Members 
who actually was old enough to remember being in that internment camp.
  We have discussions in our country today about locking up people 
based on their ethnicity or their religious beliefs. It is important 
that people like Mike Honda can stand up and say America made a 
mistake. America apologized for that mistake. Let's never make that 
mistake again.
  Mike serves on the House Committee on Appropriations and is serving 
now as the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, 
Science, and Related Agencies. In that position, he played a key role 
with me and Congresswoman Anna Eshoo in helping to locate the Patent 
Office in San Jose and to make sure that the Department of Justice has 
the resources to address the backlog in rape kits. He also serves on 
the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies.
  He is chair emeritus of the Congressional Asian Pacific American 
Caucus, the founding chair of the Congressional Caucus to End Bullying, 
the vice chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and the 
Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus. In fact, he spent

[[Page 16134]]

many years fighting anti-Muslim bigotry and discrimination against the 
LGBT community.


                       The Honorable Janice Hahn

  Ms. LOFGREN. Finally, I want to mention our friend Janice Hahn, who 
took office just, I think, this week as a member of the Los Angeles 
County Board of Supervisors. Janice was elected to Congress in 2011 and 
immediately made strong contributions to her district in a short time. 
But the story of Janice doesn't begin with her election to Congress. It 
begins long before that.
  Her father, Supervisor Kenny Hahn, served longer as a member of the 
board of supervisors than anyone in the history of the United States; 
and Janice tells stories of growing up with her father and 
understanding that public service means getting down and actually 
talking with your constituents, providing direct services to them. He 
had a tremendous influence on her, and she served on the Los Angeles 
City Council before she ran for Congress successfully.
  Here, Janice served on the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure, where she did important things like helping to pass the 
National Freight Network Trust Fund Act to increase investments in port 
and freight network infrastructure. As a result of her efforts, the 
harbor maintenance trust fund provided over $1 billion in resources to 
operate more efficiently and remain globally competitive.
  The Port of Long Beach, which she represented in Congress and now as 
a Los Angeles County supervisor, moves more than $180 billion of goods 
each year and is the second busiest seaport in the United States. She 
has always made sure that that port got the resources necessary to be 
efficient not only for the need for business in her district, but 
recognizing that the goods that come through that port help support the 
economy across the United States.
  She served also on the Committee on Small Business, where she worked 
to improve access to loans for small businesses to improve job 
creation. She cofounded the bipartisan Congressional Ports Opportunity, 
Renewal, Trade, and Security Caucus, the PORTS Caucus, and she also 
served with Jim Costa and me on the California High-Speed Rail Caucus, 
where she championed the California high-speed rail project, which will 
improve transportation in California and reduce traffic congestion and 
airport wait times.
  Janice Hahn is someone who really cared about her district in 
Congress, but her district in Congress is tiny compared to the district 
she represents on the L.A. County Board of Supervisors. We know that 
she will do a terrific job there.
  Many also know her as someone who was very involved in the prayer 
breakfast movement here in Congress. She made many friends across the 
aisle as she did that, and we will miss her.
  We know that we will see all of these fine individuals when we go 
home, as we do every week to California. Now before calling on my 
colleague Mr. Farr, I would also like to note that the timing of this 
was a little bit different than we had expected, and a lot of Members 
have statements.


                             General Leave

  Ms. LOFGREN. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that Members have 
5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and insert 
extraneous material into the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. LOFGREN. Madam Speaker, I yield to Sam Farr.
  Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. This 
is probably the last time I rise on this floor to speak after 23 years 
of serving here. It may take me a little more than 5 minutes.
  Ms. LOFGREN. That is all right.
  Mr. FARR. My daughter is on the way with my grandkids, who are trying 
to watch this. Maybe we can delay it a little more than that.
  Madam Speaker, I want to thank Ms. Lofgren for her leadership in the 
California delegation. She is the head of the Democratic side of the 
aisle in our caucus from California, the largest caucus just the 
Democrats alone. I would just like to point out what the politics of 
the West has done since I first got elected in 1975.
  I arrived here, and there were an even number of Democrats and 
Republicans representing California. Today there are 39 Democrats, and 
that is because the State has really shifted in their registration and 
voting. So the California Democratic delegation, it is interesting that 
Zoe is the chair of because it is the most diverse delegation in 
Congress: majority women, the highest delegation of Hispanics, of 
women, of Asians, and I would like to say with, Mike Honda and Mr. 
Garamendi and myself, the largest delegation of returned Peace Corps 
volunteers. It has been quite a change in the 23 years that I have been 
in Congress.
  I first arrived in 1993. I was the last guy in the door here because 
Leon Panetta, my predecessor, had been elected in the 1992 election, 
sworn in to the Congress that January; and then when President Clinton 
was sworn in for his first term, he turned around and appointed Leon 
Panetta to be head of the Office of Management and Budget. Leon resigns 
on that day, notifies Governor Wilson, who declares a special election.
  Interesting enough, in the special elections in California, it is an 
open election, so the highest vote getter from each party at the time 
would be in the runoff, and 27 people filed. I was in the state 
assembly. They said: You file and you will clear the field.
  No, it didn't happen at all. It was quite a primary, and it ended up 
with a June election; and on June 15, I think I was sworn here, right 
in this very spot, to the United States Congress.
  What was interesting is I was the 435th Member of Congress, the last 
person, and today I think my seniority ranks me around 50, from 51 to 
55. So it takes 23 years to move from the bottom slot all the way up to 
the top 50 or so slots in this House. It has been a very interesting 
experience.
  This truly is--and I have seen it through all the years--a 
representational democracy. There are all kinds of people in Congress 
with all kinds of issues: personal issues, family issues, financial 
issues. It really is representational of the society we live in. One 
thing in common is that they all want to serve the public; they want to 
serve this country.
  That service, particularly in this House, because we are 
representatives, we serve districts. Madam Chair was a former county 
supervisor, as I was, and I like jokingly saying that, frankly, because 
we all serve districts, we are like 435 county supervisors back here. 
We are more concerned about our district than the whole country.
  That is a strength for the constituents of the district, to be able 
to have direct access to their elected Members of Congress. It is 
probably a drawback when you are trying to draw the whole country into 
a common purpose. It is very difficult to get at least 218 people to 
agree, and that is the challenge here.
  I have had the privilege of serving on the Agriculture Committee, the 
Defense Committee, the Resources Committee, and, in the last 20 or so 
years, on the Appropriations Committee. It has been a wonderful 
experience because you are able to really get involved in the 
Appropriations Committee with all the details of running government.
  I am ranking member, the chief Democrat on the Agriculture 
Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee, and our budget for that 
committee is about the same as the entire budget for the State of 
California. That is an agency which was created by Abraham Lincoln. It 
was created to essentially deal with the home ec of westward expansion.
  So all of the rural development, the rural poverty programs, are in 
the Department of Agriculture. Plus you have ag attaches in every 
Embassy in the United States, in the world. You have the commodities 
futures exchange. You have Wall Street. You have everything in that 
committee and it is really interesting, and the biggest feeding program 
through food stamps, the WIC program, Food for Peace, and so on.

[[Page 16135]]

  I have been able to do a lot in changing policies so that we got 
fresh fruits and vegetables, and trying to get them in every school 
lunch program in the United States. That is good for California 
agriculture, and it is, more importantly, good for the kids of this 
Nation.
  I have had the privilege of being, I think, the only one in this 
House to create a national park during my service. The Pinnacles 
National Park was the 59th national park created in the history of this 
country.
  We have done a big expansion of ocean protection with the Monterey 
Bay National Marine Sanctuary. We have created a visitors center for 
that sanctuary. We have created, for the Department of Fish and 
Wildlife, a center in Santa Cruz.
  We have created a brand-new university out of the largest base 
closure that ever happened in the history of the United States, with 
the closure of Fort Ord. Cal State Monterey Bay is really up and 
coming, about 7,000 students, a great university, really reaching out 
to the underserved populations of California.
  I have been able to raise the pay for Federal workers in my district, 
what they call the locality pay.
  I have been able to, I think, save the Naval Postgraduate School and 
the Defense Language Institute from being closed or reorganized, 
realigned to other States. The list goes on and on.
  I think what I am most proud of is the fact that I have had such 
incredible staff. I would just like to take a moment to tell you about 
Rochelle Dornatt, my chief of staff, who has been with me for 23 years; 
Debbie Merrill; Troy Phillips; Tom Tucker; Sam Chiron; Dushani De 
Silva; Zoe Gentes, who is a Sea Grant fellow in my office; Rosie Julin; 
and Ana Sorrentino, who is my foreign service staffer.

                              {time}  2000

  On my district staff, Alec Arago, Carina Chavez, Nancy DeSerpa, 
Bertha Munoz, Kristen Petersen, and Alicia Castro. Kristen Petersen 
just got elected to the Capitola City Council.
  All of these people are moving on as I leave tomorrow, and I am very 
excited that they were part of my life.
  Just in closing, I would like to say that my daughter, Jessica, is 
here in the cloakroom, I hope, and she has with her my grandson, 
Zachary, and my granddaughter, Ella. I am so pleased that they could be 
here and share this moment with me.
  Congress is a great experience. It is the check and balance. It is 
the initiator of new ideas. It is the people's House. And I just hope 
that as Member's face this next uncertainty of a new administration--
there is always uncertainty, and probably more so now with the 
controversial election we had in this country, but I really hope that 
this House will rise to the occasion to not let the people down. We 
fight for all kinds of wonderful reasons. This House, the people's 
House, has really got to protect the people.
  So I thank the gentlewoman for yielding time for me to make a few 
comments. I am sure that I will have a lot more that I would love to 
say, but I include in the Record a list that I have here of over 20 
years of getting results for the 20th Congressional District.

                Over 20 Years of Getting Results. . . .

       Helping change things for the better while in Congress 
     doesn't just mean passing bills, though Sam Farr did a lot of 
     that. It means looking for every opportunity--to form 
     partnerships, to push for White House involvement, to secure 
     earmarks, and even on occasion, to block others from 
     interfering in the district's welfare.
       Sam Farr did all this while in Congress and will continue 
     to do so until the day he leaves. There is never a time when 
     Sam Farr is not working for the best interests of the 
     community. He leaves an indelible mark on the district that 
     will have long-term, wide-ranging impact now and far into the 
     future.

 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                   Item                           Approximate Date
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Authored federal organic standards          2002
 legislation/law.
Got WH to include Salinas in its Violence   2010-present.
 Prevention strategy (to fight gangs).
Helped legislate the RCI program, which     2001-ongoing.
 has rebuilt military housing at Fort Ord
 (now the Ord Military Community).
Monterey Bay Sanctuary Trail..............  2001-present.
Obtained approval of VA cemetery at Fort    1993-2014
 Ord.
NMFS lab in Santa Cruz....................  1996-2002
Provided approximately $65 million, total,  1994-1999
 to underwrite the new CSUMB.
Oceans 21/National Ocean Policy...........  2000/2014
Helped negotiate, then got $$ for Salinas   1994-95
 Valley Water Reclamation project and the
 Castroville Water Intrusion project.
Opened up DLI to civilian students on a     1994
 selected, space-available basis.
Congressional Travel & Tourism Caucus.....  1997-present.
White House Oceans Conference.............  1998
Prevented closure of local Social Security  1999
 office.
Transfer of EDD-owned building via DOL to   1999
 city of Salinas for child care center.
Creation of the center for stabilization    2000
 and reconstruction studies; also a
 permanent office within the State
 Department.
Got WH to use Antiquities Act to establish  2000
 Coastal National Monument.
House Oceans Caucus.......................  2000-present.
Marine Protected Area center in Santa Cruz  2000
Plan Colombia (revising aid for local       2000
 capacity growth).
Annual Citizenship ceremonies.............  2001(?)-present.
Cleaned up FUDS at Monterey Airport.......  2001
Got Fair Trade Sustainable Coffee mandated  2001
 for House restaurant facilities.
Wilderness bill (Ventana, Silver Peak)....  2001
Prevented the Navy from expanding bombing   2002
 runs at Fort Hunter Liggett.
Provided the funds (via earmark) for a new  2002
 Olympic-sized public pool in Salinas.
Created the U.S. Travel & Tourism Board...  2003
Legislated FHL lands into permanent status  2004
 as a national forest under the direction
 of the Forest Service if FHL is ever
 surplussed by the military.
Moved FORA policy from 0% affordable        2004
 housing to a minimum of 20%.
Passed a law making California Missions     2004
 eligible for federal restoration/
 rehabilitation grants.
Won locality pay for federal workers in     2004
 Monterey County.
Environmental Services Contract Agreement-- 2006-2014
 Fort Ord (clean up complete).
Golf carts for the disabled at military     2006
 golf courses.
Transferred Pt. Pinos Lighthouse to City    2006
 of Pacific Grove.
Established the Center for Homeland         2007
 Defense and Security at NPS.
Organized Team Monterey--all DOD entities   2007
 in Monterey County.
A Salad Bar in Every School...............  2008
Launched the Civilian Response Corps......  2008
Negotiated the swap of lands at Fort Ord    2008
 (``Stilwell Kidney'') to allow the
 expansion of military housing and a new
 ``gateway'' for the City of Seaside.
Saved post office in Aromas from closure..  2008
Finalized new VA/DOD health clinic (now     2012
 under construction).
Got WH to use Antiquities Act to establish  2012
 Fort Ord National Monument.
Legislated elevation of Pinnacles National  2012
 Monument to full National Park status.
Marine debris bill (became law)...........  2012
Saved DLI, NPS from BRAC..................  1995, 2005
Legislated the Economic Development         1993, 2009
 Conveyance for BRAC properties.
``Monterey Model'' for contracting          2000, 2012
 municipal services at military bases.
Secured increased per diems for government  2003, 2012
 rates in the district.
Proud to be An American Act (became law)..  1996, 2006, 2008
Santa Cruz Visitors Center................  2012
Helped break the logjam on H-2A visas for   2013
 local growers during the government
 shutdown, ensuring a sufficient workforce
 for the holiday growing & harvest season.
Overcame the government shutdown that had   2013
 closed off parking for the annual Jade
 Festival in Big Sur.
Passed a bill in the House (and sent it to  2013 and 2014
 the Senate) to name the new VA-DOD health
 clinic after Gen. Bill Gourley.
Approximate total dollars brought in to     $1,016,000,000+
 the district in 22 years (appropriations
 only, not formula money).
Approximate number of constituent letters   511,000
 answered in 22 years.
Pajaro River flood prevention.............  Multi-year.
Provided nearly $7 million to Salinas/      Various.
 Monterey County to fight gangs.
San Clemente Dam--working toward removal..  Multi-year.
Secured waivers for Salinas and Hollister   Various, on-going.
 so they can get Rural Development money.
Authored legislation on medical marijuana   2014, 2015
 that became law.
Forced FAA to review the SAFR flight plan   2015
 over Santa Cruz (on-going).
Secured the funds to renovate the ``Low     2015
 Water Bridge'' at Fort Hunter Liggett.
Locked in $56.3 million from previous       2015
 appropriations for a new barracks at DLI.
Saved PEPRA funds for Monterey-Salinas      2015
 Transit.
Guaranteed a new ARS station would be       2015
 built in Salinas by USDA.
Reinstated $7.2 million in funding for      2015
 NOAA's B-WET program.
Engineered the highest appropriations       2015
 level for the Peace Corps in its history
 (410 million).
Got the House to pass H.R. 1838 to allow    2016
 the recreational use of BLM land at Clear
 Creek as a public recreation area.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


  Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I think the comments the gentleman has made 
show what a difference a Member of Congress can make in the lives of 
his or her constituents.
  One of the things I will say as Sam leaves is that we have joint 
swearing-in sessions around the Fourth of July. Sam was born on the 
Fourth of July. Some of the most memorable moments I have are in 
Gilroy, with hundreds of people wanting to become American citizens. 
The remarkable thing about our country is that we have 200 people walk 
in from 150 countries, and they walk out the citizens of just one 
country.
  Sam has been a leader in immigration, the environment, and so many 
things, and we honor him and respect him for his service to our 
country.
  Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I passed legislation called Proud to be an 
American Day. I was hoping that we could do that on the morning of the 
Fourth of July, but, because it is a Federal holiday, the Federal 
immigration people don't work that day. So we have been scheduling this 
around the Fourth of July and days before.
  It has been a huge turnout. It is the largest turnout for press 
because there are so many interesting people to interview. I really 
appreciate the gentlewoman coming as an immigrant

[[Page 16136]]

family and talking about her family background. It has been a highlight 
to see the smiles and enthusiasm of a day when we are really proud to 
be Americans.
  Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California 
(Mrs. Davis), a distinguished Member of the Armed Services Committee 
and the Education and the Workforce Committee.
  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, as the only member from the 
53rd District, the only district that is 53rd in the country--the 
highest number district ever--and I am so aware of the size and scope 
of California and its congressional delegation.
  We have such a wide range of talents and perspectives and 
contributions that California Members bring to this body. As we see the 
114th Congress now come to a close, we have more departing Members than 
many delegations have in the first place. So I am here to talk about 
some of them.
  We are losing leaders, we are losing friends and mentors, Members 
whom we have looked to and served beside. We are losing Members who 
have been so influential as they have shared to make their passion to 
make lives better, each in their own way. As we bid them farewell, I 
want to take this moment to pay tribute to five members that I am going 
to dearly miss.
  The first one is Lois Capps. Lois has really been an example and a 
role model for how to be the quintessential Congresswoman. She is 
generous, classy, hardworking, collaborative, and never afraid to stand 
up for people who are in need. One of the things about Lois that we all 
know is she has a lock on the Nicest Member of Congress award, and that 
is for a really good reason.
  She has been very helpful to me, and my staff, from the minute I came 
to Congress. I came a few years after she did. Since then, they have 
been helpful whenever we needed them. I certainly will miss her 
leadership, her perspective as a nurse and a healthcare advocate, and 
our region's voice on the Energy and Commerce Committee.
  She has always looked out for and delivered for women, kids, 
consumers, and anyone who has had problems with healthcare coverage. On 
that committee, she really has been a leader on the environment and a 
leader in promoting clean energy and green technology.
  Everybody knows Lois here on the floor. We all just look for her 
assurance and her smile all the time.
  Sam Farr just spoke a few minutes ago. He really is a Member that you 
look to for results.
  I learned about Sam when I was a member of the California 
legislature. One year, when the California members came to visit our 
Members of Congress, Sam was there to greet us. I remember having 
discussions with him. I think we were both chairing Consumer Affairs at 
one time in the State legislature and so we became kind of fast 
friends.
  Sam was also one of my walking buddies. There were a few years there 
where we walked often in the morning, meeting about six o'clock. We had 
a gang of us who went down to the park. We were there always talking 
and having a good time and really sharing our experience here.
  One thing we all know about Sam is that he was a legendary photo 
taker. I can assure you, whenever you see Sam wandering down here on 
the floor, he was often bringing pictures of people from one event or 
another that he had taken. They were great mementos. I know that we all 
treasured them dearly.
  Sam is known from Monterrey, which he represents, to Colombia. 
Everywhere he goes, he speaks to people. Often, if you travel with Sam, 
you know how hard it is to get him moving because he really wants to 
stop and talk to everybody along the way.
  Sam was really shaped by his service in the Peace Corps and dedicated 
himself to giving back and looking at tough issues from a global 
perspective. He has been an earmark and appropriations leader. His 
staff made him a book of accomplishments, and it was so thick. There 
were so many things that they had to share about Sam and what he has 
accomplished.
  Just like my colleague had said, he really stands for how we can work 
hard and we can get things done, especially when we know how to work 
with people. And Sam knows how to do that. That is why he has such a 
great, thick binder and lots of wonderful pictures.
  Sam has been a leader in the fight against offshore drilling and a 
smart thinker when it comes to BRAC solutions.
  I also want to talk about Loretta Sanchez. As my Armed Services 
colleague, my housemate, and Longworth neighbor, Loretta is someone I 
really got to see a lot of.
  In this kind of funny button-down town we have, Loretta is really a 
breath of fresh air. We know she is never afraid to be herself, and she 
is not like anyone else who has ever served.
  She surprised people when she came to Congress after a very long-shot 
campaign that really wasn't decided for months after she came here. Of 
course, she has never been afraid to take on a tough-odds fight. She 
was one of the first younger women before we had a lot of women coming 
here to Congress--women who had young children--who were really in 
their earlier years. A lot of us waited until we were later in our 
careers, but not Loretta. She came when she was really a young woman.
  Loretta is famous, of course, for her holiday cards and a lot of 
things that I just can't repeat right now, and for being one of the 
smartest, thoughtful, and funniest Members that we have here in 
Congress.
  I know that when San Diego groups come to town and want an 
interesting speaker, I always recommend Loretta. I never know what she 
is going to say, but that is why people listen.
  She is someone I will dearly miss, but at least she is leaving her 
little sister here with us in leadership, no less. We are glad to have 
Linda in that position.
  I want to talk about my friend, Mike Honda. Mike and I have been on 
the same path. We served in the legislature together, we campaigned in 
the year of George W., and we came to Congress in the same small 
Democratic class in 2000. Our staffs have worked very closely together, 
and he has ruled the seventh floor of Longworth from the same office 
that he has held the whole time he has been here in Congress.
  Like Sam Farr, Mike was shaped by his service in the Peace Corps in 
El Salvador. He has been a warrior for justice, whether it is 
educational justice or civil rights, and he has taken API issues to a 
new level and really made people aware of the struggles of Asian 
Americans from internment camps to POW issues to sex trafficking.
  Mike is something of a bridge as well between the generations. He has 
represented Silicon Valley with pride and been an advocate and example 
of new technology. His office always crushes all of us in the Golden 
Mouse Web site competition, and I think he was the first Member to 
drive a Prius. He still has that same green Prius with a stuffed animal 
we see parked all over campus.
  More than anything, we miss stories of Mike's famous karaoke nights. 
I hear nobody does Sinatra better.
  Janice Hahn. Janice actually turned out to be one of my newer 
colleagues from nearby LA, and I certainly hate to see her leave, but 
she will be a huge asset as a member of the Los Angeles Board of 
Supervisors. She joins a former colleague here and a former colleague 
of mine of the State legislature. Go girl.
  She is going to do tremendous work. The group of them who are in 
charge now at LA County, I know, will make tremendous strides for the 
region and for all of their constituents.
  It is very clear that Janice is an expert on transportation and 
infrastructure. She has helped a lot of us to understand port issues 
and stands up for the working people who make the goods move.
  It is always a great privilege to travel with Janice. I had that 
opportunity on a few occasions. I am certainly glad she will be serving 
in elected office. She still has such a great contribution to make.

[[Page 16137]]

  So, in closing, I just want to say that we certainly are going to 
miss these Members for different reasons, but those of us still here 
will carry on their legacies and never forget the marks they have each 
made.
  I have learned from all of them, and I will try to carry on their 
legacies by making my New Year's resolution to be as genuine as Lois, 
as edgy as Loretta, as engaging as Sam, as good at singing as Mike, and 
as spiritual as Janice.
  Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California 
(Mr. Huffman), who represents north of San Francisco and the north 
coast.
  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, one of the things I love about serving in 
Congress is I am always presented with new and interesting experiences. 
Each year brings more of these experiences, but I have already, in just 
4 years, found that there is one experience I have quite enough of, and 
that is saying goodbye to incredible, irreplaceable colleagues who are 
just remarkable public servants. I wish them well. I am happy for them 
in retiring, but I am going to really miss them.
  Last year, we had the tough duty of saying goodbye to Henry Waxman 
and George Miller. This year, we have got another class of terrific 
people who are moving on.

                              {time}  2015

  I am going to miss all of my California colleagues, including our 
southern California friends, Janice Hahn and Loretta Sanchez; but I 
want to focus the time I have on our northern California neighbors, 
starting with our great friend, Sam Farr.
  A lot will be said, now and long into the future, about Sam's 
incredible public service career. People will talk about his time in 
Colombia in the Peace Corps, the 6 years that he spent on the Monterey 
County Board of Supervisors, his 12 years in the State assembly, his 
nearly 23 years in Congress. Sam has been such a dedicated and 
passionate public servant. It is not just the duration and the breadth 
of those offices. It is really the quality and the character of Sam's 
service and, particularly, when it comes to the ocean.
  Sam was the founder of the House Oceans Caucus, and a longstanding 
advocate for our coasts and oceans, and reminding all of us and our 
country, how important they are to our economy. He helped lay the 
groundwork for a National Ocean Policy that recognizes that there are 
tens of millions of jobs across this country and trillions of dollars 
of economic activity that depend on healthy oceans.
  Sam has helped all sorts of special places throughout his career, 
especially in the Central Coast. He has never rested on his laurels. 
Despite his many accomplishments--and there are too many to list here--
I think it is important to note that he created the Pinnacles National 
Park, which was signed into law in 2013.
  He successfully lobbied to have a national monument at Fort Ord, 
which was designated in 2012. And Sam has told me many times, even in 
recent days, that the most satisfying part of his work here in Congress 
is the enduring part of his legacy, those permanent protections that 
he, through a lot of hard work and perseverance, has been able to make 
happen.
  Beyond all of this, all of these achievements, all of these offices 
that define Sam's public service career, I think it is also important 
to just note he is a heck of a human being.
  I will miss Sam. It has been said by Susan and others that he has 
just always got a warm smile. He greets you on the airplane. He is a 
pleasure to travel with. He will come up and give you a picture that he 
took from the last holiday party, sometimes like a year and a half 
earlier because he has kept it in his pocket for a long time waiting to 
see you.
  Sam, you are just a wonderful friend and human being, and I am so 
honored to have served with you.
  So let's talk about another great human being and public servant, 
Lois Capps. What I love about Lois and will deeply miss is the fact 
that she is a nurse to the core, and a health advocate. She really, as 
a Member of Congress, and as a health advocate, just walks the walk all 
the time, constantly advocating for affordable and accessible health 
care for all, and that includes, obviously, being a champion with her 
work for the Affordable Care Act. She really does leave this 
institution, I think, as one of its most respected members, one of the 
kindest members, certainly one of the ones with widespread affection 
from her colleagues. That is a reputation that I think everyone in 
public life should strive for.
  Lois, of course, is another stalwart for California's oceans and our 
coast, and has helped lead the charge against offshore drilling 
throughout her tenure.
  I think the part of Lois that I will especially appreciate and 
especially miss is that she is my living bridge to a wonderful time in 
my life when I was a student at UC Santa Barbara. Of course, Lois 
herself is a graduate of USCB, and I know that my fellow alumni and 
everyone in the UCSB community is so proud of her.
  It is extra special because, of course, she holds the seat in 
Congress that was previously held by the late Walter Capps, a UCSB 
professor who was one of my favorite professors way back in the 1980s 
when I was a Gaucho student.
  Finally, it is tough to say good-bye, but we have to, to our great 
friend, Mike Honda, who has so ably represented the Bay Area on the 
Appropriations Committee. He has made sure that Congress has invested 
in key priorities for our Bay Area region. The extension of BART is 
just one of many, many examples of Mike's great work.
  He served in public life for more than 3 decades, from the San Jose 
School Board to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, the 
California Assembly, and here in Congress.
  Mike's very special service draws upon his life experience. He has 
just been an incredible champion for civil rights and human rights and 
equality. He has really been our North Star, I think, here in Congress 
on these critical issues.
  He has gone to bat for the AAPI community, the LGBT community and, 
frankly, anyone who has been disadvantaged and who needs a champion in 
their quest for equality.
  Mike is my neighbor here in Washington. I will miss running into him. 
I will miss seeing that old, beat-up, first-generation Toyota Prius 
with all the faded stickers on the bumper. Most of all, I will just 
miss Mike's great sense of humor, his warm smile, and his friendship; 
but I do know that that friendship will continue.
  Mr. Speaker, and my colleague, Zoe Lofgren, thank you for the time to 
lend my voice of appreciation and gratitude to these great, great, 
champions for California and for our country. We wish them well.
  Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I had a number of other Members who had 
planned to be here but, because of the hour, there is a conflicting 
event, so they will be adding their voices to the Record.
  Let me just close by saying that our delegation--really, all the 
Congress and the public--are going to miss the distinguished service of 
Sam Farr, Lois Capps, Loretta Sanchez, Mike Honda, and Janice Hahn. 
Each of them very different, but each of them made their mark in a way 
that will not be forgotten. We are sad to see them go, but here's the 
good news: we have fresh faces coming in to replace them who are very 
distinguished and who will also make their mark because none of us here 
will be here forever. We are just passing through this people's House 
in an effort to serve our country as best we can. Certainly, these 
Members have served that public with tremendous distinction, and we are 
honored to have served with them.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor my fellow Californians who I 
have had the honor of working with here in the House of 
Representatives.
  Sam Farr has spent more than two decades serving the Central Coast in 
Congress . . . and so many years before that serving locally.
  He has been a longtime advocate for our veterans and military 
families in California. And he always stands up for essential 
environmental protection efforts . . . and ocean conservation.

[[Page 16138]]

  Because of Congressman Farr . . . many of our natural treasures in 
California will be preserved. He will be greatly missed, but I know he 
will enjoy spending more time in his beautiful hometown of Carmel.
  My friend Mike Honda will be returning home to California after 
serving more than 35 years as an elected official . . . and 16 years as 
a member of Congress . . . representing the people of Silicon Valley.
  Congressman Honda has worked tirelessly on behalf of those who don't 
have a voice . . . serving as an important advocate for underserved 
communities. He has always understood the importance of closing gaps in 
education for our young people . . . and has put that on the forefront 
of his work in Congress.
  Congressman Honda has dedicated his life to public service . . . and 
we're incredibly grateful for all that he has done for the people of 
California. I know he will continue to be an important voice on the 
issues he cares about.
  Janice Hahn has always been willing to tackle important issues in 
Congress. I'm particularly grateful for her work to ensure we are 
strengthening infrastructure in California . . . and for her advocacy 
on behalf of women.
  I know that as she transitions to her new role as Los Angeles County 
Supervisor . . . she will continue to deliver results for her region.
  Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez has been an important advocate for 
women in the military . . . and a leader on immigration issues. I'm 
grateful for her decades of service here in Congress.
  I will also dearly miss Lois Capps . . . who I have had the pleasure 
of serving with for many years. As a former school nurse . . . 
Congresswoman Capps has provided valuable insight on public health 
issues in Congress.
  I've enjoyed working with her on the Energy & Commerce Health 
Subcommittee on issues that impact everyday Americans . . . from 
ensuring people have affordable healthcare . . . to bolstering medical 
research . . . to strengthening programs like Medicare.
  Congresswoman Capps has also been an important environmental advocate 
during her time in Congress. She understands the connections between 
public health and our changing climate . . . and has continuously 
fought to ensure that future generations in Santa Barbara . . . and 
across the country . . . have clean air to breathe.
  I'm grateful to all of my departing colleagues from the great state 
of California. Each of you has brought a unique and important 
perspective to Congress . . . and I will miss the insights and 
friendship that you have provided me over the years.
  Thank you for your service to our great nation . . . and I wish you 
all the best of luck as you enter into the next chapter of your lives 
back in California.
  Know that you will always be welcome back here in the Nation's 
Capital.
  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my 
colleagues and good friends Reps. Sam Farr, Lois Capps, Loretta 
Sanchez, Mike Honda and Janice Hahn upon their retirement from the 
House of Representatives.
  These Members of Congress have been true fighters for California and 
have been instrumental in achieving progress on a number of issues 
important to our state and our country. With their help, California 
Democrats have led the fight to ensure access to affordable healthcare, 
to address the legal needs of our immigrant community and to give every 
family a fair shot at a good living.
  Their work here certainly hasn't been easy, and they have made many 
personal sacrifices through the years. Nonetheless, they've been tough 
fighters for some of the most vulnerable people in our country. I'm 
proud to be able to count them among my friends, and I want to express 
my sincere thanks to Sam, Lois, Loretta, Mike and Janice for all the 
work we've been able to accomplish together. They have all set a high 
bar for the rest of us in Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, Sam, Lois, Loretta, Mike and Janice have been great 
friends to Californians and good friends of mine. It is fitting and 
proper that we honor them here today for their dedicated public 
service.

                          ____________________