December 19, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E2603 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS TRIBUTE TO CIRCLE SEAL Monty Hoppel, Miles and Bob have created his truck driving career for his Dad’s business. CONTROLS 60TH ANNIVERSARY one of the most successful teams in the his- Paul and his family moved to Rapid City in tory of the Texas League. 1950 where he started a 25-year career as an HON. KEN CALVERT Under the direction of Miles, Bob, and over-the-road, sleeper, truck driver for United Monty, the RockHounds have twice won the OF CALIFORNIA Buckingham Transport. He also drove for Texas League Championship and have been AMOCO Oil Co. of Rapid City from 1975 to IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES honored as the Double-A organization of the 1990, when he retired. Tuesday, December 18, 2007 year. In choosing the RockHounds as the re- He loved fishing, hunting, traveling and Mr. CALVERT. Madam Speaker, I rise today cipients of the President’s Trophy, Minor camping in the Black Hills as well as and to honor and pay tribute to Circle Seals Con- League Baseball has recognized the many throughout the American West, Mexico, and trols, which celebrated its 60th anniversary in years of hard work and deep community in- Canada. In 1965, he helped organize the Corona, California. On November 29, 2007, I volvement as the best in the nation. ‘‘Black Hills Hillbillies’’, a camping club associ- was proud to attend the anniversary celebra- The RockHounds would not be the team ated with the Red Dale National Campers tion. they are today without the people of the Per- Club, serving as the Head Scout for the Hill- Circle Seal has a long, proud tradition of mian Basin who have generously rewarded billies and hosting a number of National Ral- quality manufacturing in southern California. their efforts with over 270,000 clicks of the lies in South Dakota, as a 36-year member. Circle Seal’s home for the last 15 years is also turnstile this year alone—a franchise attend- Paul and Isabelle spent 10 years wintering my hometown—Corona. The state-of-the-art ance record. in Apache Junction, AZ, meeting many new facility has 300 employees and provides In addition to fielding a great ball club, the friends in the RV Park and taking bus trips in equipment for military and commercial aircraft, RockHounds management works tirelessly to Arizona, California and Mexico. Paul and Isa- U.S. Navy ships, the Space Shuttle, and other raise money for the community—especially belle raised two daughters, Paula Kay rocket and missile applications. local schools and youth sports organizations. LaPorte, who is married to John LaPorte, and The evolution of the industrial defense base Led by the hugely successful West Texas Deborah Ann Phelps, who is married to Mike has allowed the U.S. government to get out of Sports Banquet and Memorabilia Auction, the Phelps. They have four grandchildren and four the manufacturing business and let contrac- RockHounds participated in over 80 fund- great-grandchildren. tors, who can do it better and cheaper, pro- raisers this year and helped to raise over Madam Speaker, we are so fortunate to live vide essential platforms and components. $100,000 this year for programs in the Per- in this great country where freedom is some- Without Circle Seal’s expertise, our F–18s, mian Basin. thing that we rarely have to think about and Global Hawks and V–22s don’t get off the The President’s Trophy is the most coveted often take for granted. It is simply a way of life ground. Right now, our troops are relying on award in Minor League Baseball as it is given for us, and we are truly blessed to live in a the products made by Circle, and the pride the in recognition of ‘‘overall franchise excel- country whose citizens willingly volunteer to employees take in their work is a part of the lence’’. It takes into account the success of put themselves in harm’s way to defend and success on the battlefield. I thank Circle Seal the franchise, its relationship with the sur- protect our great Nation. I am proud to honor Paul for his dedicated for all their hard work and their relentless pur- rounding community, and its contributions to service to our Nation. Paul is an American suit of excellence. baseball. On all of these measures, the Mid- Circle Seal’s past successes have ensured land RockHounds are a model team and I am hero who left his home to defend our Nation, a continued relationship with the U.S. govern- honored to represent the organization and its and then returned home to be a valued mem- ment—I’m proud to see that the company also fans here in Washington. ber of his community, showing his children contributes to the C–17, the KC–767 Tanker Madam Speaker, it is with great pride and and grandchildren how to live meaningful lives and the Navy LCS programs. Their dem- tremendous respect that I recognize the of service. Paul truly is the embodiment of all onstrated reliability and quality are exactly achievements of the Midland RockHounds the values that have molded America into the what the government needs. I look forward to today. Their successes on and off the baseball great Nation it is today. May God bless Paul a continued strong relationship with Circle field have made the Permian Basin a better and his family, may God bless our precious Seal and, again, I commend the company on place to live and I can think of no team more veterans, and may God bless America. their anniversary and—most importantly—the deserving to earn the 2007 John H. Johnson f President’s Trophy. people who make Circle Seal a valued and in- CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 1585, tegral part of the community. f NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZA- f TO HONOR PAUL VICTOR TION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2008 LINSTROM TRIBUTE TO THE MIDLAND SPEECH OF ROCKHOUNDS HON. MARILYN N. MUSGRAVE HON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY OF COLORADO OF ILLINOIS HON. K. MICHAEL CONAWAY IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF TEXAS Tuesday, December 18, 2007 Wednesday, December 12, 2007 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Madam Speaker, I rise Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in Tuesday, December 18, 2007 today to honor Paul Victor Linstrom who was opposition to H.R. 1585, the National Defense Mr. CONAWAY. Madam Speaker, I rise born May 31, 1926, in Whitewood, SD. Paul Authorization Act. Although this bill includes today to salute my hometown baseball team, attended school in Sturgis, SD. He joined the some very important provisions, like the pri- the Midland RockHounds, as they received the Navy in August of 1943, finishing his high vate security contracting language I fought so John H. Johnson President’s Trophy honoring school GED and naval training at the U.S. hard to include, I am unable to support this them as the best team in Minor League Base- Naval Training Station at Farragut, ID. He was legislation because it authorizes $41.8 billion ball. listed as a graduate of the class of 1944 at to continue the war in Iraq. It is unfortunate The Midland RockHounds, owned by Miles Sturgis High School. He was assigned to the that this funding was part of this bill because Prentice and Bob Richmond, are a community Pierre Victory troop transport ship as a signal- otherwise I would have been proud to vote for institution in the Permian Basin. Miles and Bob man and spent his military tour in the South this legislation. Nevertheless, I am very proud both have a deep passion for America’s pas- Pacific. Paul was honorably discharged from of the provisions to increase oversight and time, and it shows in the success of the the Navy in July 1946. transparency over private security contractors, RockHounds. Together with their management Paul married Isabelle Gerhard on Sep- which Representative PRICE, Senator OBAMA team, headed by longtime General Manager tember 21, 1946, in Sturgis, where he started and I worked so hard to include in this bill. ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. VerDate Aug 31 2005 09:05 Dec 20, 2007 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A18DE8.012 E19DEPT1 bajohnson on PROD1PC71 with REMARKS E2604 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks December 19, 2007 This bill contains important provisions to special young man who has exemplified the data for scientific and societal benefit testifies regulate private security contractors, including finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by to the Nation’s sound investment in a public nearly all of the provisions from H.R. 897, the taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of good. Iraq and Afghanistan Contractor Sunshine Act, America, and in earning the most prestigious My home State of Colorado has two compa- which I introduced in February to give Con- award of Eagle Scout. nies that demonstrate the excellent commer- gress access to the basic information nec- David has been very active with his troop, cial applications that have developed from the essary for us to do our job of providing gravely participating in many Scout activities. Over the initial Federal investments made in space- needed oversight of private contractors. The many years David has been involved with based remote sensing exemplified by the Defense Authorization Act would give Con- Scouting, he has not only earned numerous Landsat program.