E2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks October 21, 1997 of himself to his country, his community, and for California and my district. Consider if other Last Saturday in New Jersey, Evesham his family. Gerald will be missed by all whose agricultural products also succeeded in ex- Mayor Gus Tamburro joined the Republican lives he touched. I am honored to have rep- panding through free trade. For example, as Party and endorsed Governor Christie Whit- resented him and proud to call him a constitu- the leading dairy producing county in the Na- man, saying, ``Under Christie Whitman's lead- ent. tion, Tulare County in my district is well posi- ership we have reaped the benefits of jobs, f tioned to seize a lion's share of the growing tax cuts, and economic growth. That's why I world dairy demand if only fair and free trade switched parties.'' AGRICULTURAL EXPORT BENEFIT can be achieved. Other major agricultural On Monday of this week, 13 elected Demo- CALIFORNIA products found in California, such as pistach- crats in Texas switched to the Republican ios, almonds, grapes, and stone fruits, stand Party at a ceremony hosted by Governor HON. WILLIAM M. THOMAS to gain from the ability to enter foreign mar- George Bush. Among those Texans who OF CALIFORNIA kets if given an equal footing with producers abandoned the Democratic Party was Presid- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES from other countries. ing Judge of the Court of Criminal Appeals, Tuesday, October 21, 1997 We must plan for future growth by working Michael J. McCormick. To date, 90 elected with our trading partners to open market ac- Democrats have jointed the GOP in Texas Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, California is fa- cess, allowing California farmers the oppor- alone since 1992. mous as the home of the motion picture indus- tunity to sell even more goods in the global In New York this week, Liberty Town Super- try, Disneyland, beaches, and an overwhelm- market. Expansion of agricultural exports has visor Richard Martinkovic changed his party ing tourist industry. It may surprise you to always been my priority. As the Representa- affiliation and stated, ``I join the Republican learn, however, that agriculture is actually tive of an agricultural district I am proud that Party today and look forward to working with California's No. 1 industry. Since California is the success of California's farmers and ranch- all elected officials . . . to serve the people, also the home of numerous international ports, ers helps build America's economy while feed- not be served.'' the combination of agriculture and inter- ing millions. Since the implementation of And finally, in my home State of Georgia, national trade creates the backbone of Califor- NAFTA 3 years ago, agricultural exports to our State Representative Scott Tolbert announced nia's economy. As such, it is a priority to fos- NAFTA trading partners have increased by 13 his decision to join the GOP. Tolbert gives Re- ter growth in agricultural exports by supporting percent. Trade liberalization under NAFTA will publicans 79 seats in the 180-seat State U.S. efforts to decrease barriers to trade with continue to bolster the economic forces that House of Representatives, the highest number foreign countries. are promoting trade growth. As we work to fur- since Reconstruction. At a ceremony in Jeffer- For the last 50 years California has held the ther reduce barriers to trade, we can look for- son, GA, Tolbert commented, ``After watching title as the Nation's No. 1 agricultural State. ward to great increases in our agricultural ex- the Democrat Party in action, I knew I had to California's agricultural industry is important to ports. Creating a free market is in our best in- make a change.'' the Nation as well as to the economic well terest, and I urge this Congress to do its best I welcome each of these 18 new members being of our local communities. Agricultural to continue to support free trade. to the Republican Party. The door to our party exports account for over half of California's f remains open to all who are committed to the total agricultural products which brings $22 bil- ideals of smaller, smarter government with lion into the California economy every year. A GROWING TREND lower taxes and more freedom for the Amer- Thus, over half of the revenues earned by the ican people. sale of California's agricultural products were HON. NEWT GINGRICH f generated by California growers' ability to OF GEORGIA enter and compete competitively in foreign IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PERSONAL EXPLANATION markets. For some products, such as the sale of cotton in my district, exports account for 75 Tuesday, October 21, 1997 HON. BOB CLEMENT percent of the $1 billion in total sales reve- Mr. GINGRICH. Mr. Speaker, I would like to OF TENNESSEE nues. call attention to a growing trend in America: IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Agriculture provides 1 in every 10 jobs in Democrats who have switched to the Repub- the State. These jobs serve as the underlying lican Party. These officials were tired of the Tuesday, October 21, 1997 force behind California's economic strength. same old liberal social philosophies which Mr. CLEMENT. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall vote According to the California Department of characterize the Democrat Party as the party No. 512, I was unavoidably detained on official Food and Agriculture's 1995 Crop Report, ``for of higher taxes, bigger government, and moral business. Had I been present, I would have every $1 billion in export sales, 27,000 jobs permissiveness. A classic example of this lib- voted ``aye,'' and I ask unanimous consent are created in the state''. By this approxima- eral thinking was the Clinton administration's that this statement be placed in the appro- tion, agricultural exports helped the total Cali- proposed takeover of the health care industry, priate portion of the RECORD. fornia economy by creating 124,000 jobs, and a scheme which had Democrats running for f these jobs, on average, pay more than non- cover in the 1994 mid-term elections, when 9 export related jobs. In my district, Kern Coun- million more people voted Republican than in RECOGNITION OF THE WEBB ty's $350 million in exports sales creates al- 1990 and the Republicans took control of Con- SCHOOL’S 75TH ANNIVERSARY most 10,000 jobs, which does not include indi- gress for the first time in 40 years. rect economic benefits. The Republican National Party has added HON. GEORGE E. BROWN, JR. Given the direct relationship between agri- 18 new elected officials to its ranks within the OF CALIFORNIA cultural exports and employment levels, it is past week. Since Bill Clinton and ALBERT IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES important that we work to increase exports by GORE were elected in 1992, 349 elected Dem- encouraging free trade and maintaining strong ocrat officials have now joined the GOP. Tuesday, October 21, 1997 working relationships with our trading partners. Last Thursday, North Dakota State Rep- Mr. BROWN of California. Mr. Speaker, I Although exports already represent a large resentative Michael Brandenburg switched to rise today to recognize the 75th anniversary of portion of California's agricultural sales, they the Republican Party, saying, ``I knew I had to the Webb School. remain the area of greatest potential growth make the change to stay true to myself and Founded in 1922 by Thompson and Vivian for the industry. While overseas markets are my own beliefs.'' Webb in Claremont, CA, the school has main- growing, our domestic market has reached a On Friday of last week, Topeka, Kansas tained a tradition of academic excellence stagnant growth rate. The global marketplace City Councilman Vince Cook renounced his af- throughout its history. is where the action is, due to the fact that filiation with the Democrat Party and joined the Though initially an all male school, the Viv- there are about 6 billion consumers beyond Republicans. ``Nationally, regionally, and lo- ian Webb School for girls was opened in the our Nation's borders. In just the last 6 years, cally, it [the Democrat Party] has been associ- fall of 1984. The school now also includes the U.S. agricultural exports have increased by 50 ated with fund raising irregularities, political Raymond Alf Museum. Founded after a stu- percent. patronage, and professional and personal dent's discovery of a fossil of a previously un- New trade agreements that open and liber- scandals,'' said Cook. Clearly, the growing known prehistoric pig, it is the only museum of alize trade allow California farmers access to campaign fund raising scandals surrounding paleontology located on a high school cam- those 6 billion consumers in the global market. the 1996 Clinton/Gore Campaign is fueling the pus. The museum houses over 80,000 speci- I mentioned how successful cotton has been flight from the Democrat Party. mens, 90 percent of which were collected by