February 16, 2005 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E263 want to express my gratitude to all employ- they are always different. While Ramona was CELEBRATION OF THE 80TH BIRTH- ers who have demonstrated support for this Vice President she introduced the idea of a DAY OF CONGRESSMAN LOUIS national crisis by swiftly releasing your val- Beef Cook-Off and with the help of fellow STOKES uable employees for military service. It is equally gratifying to see how you are wel- members the Cook-Off was held in Kern coming back these returning warriors and County that year. HON. STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES reinstating them in their jobs. During the Ramona’s efforts have been exhaustive. OF OHIO period of mobilization, many of you did more Throughout her tenure as a member and offi- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES than was required by law by voluntarily of- fering continued benefits, pay differentials, cer of the Cattlewomen’s Association she has Wednesday, February 16, 2005 and additional, creative forms of family sup- been instrumental in nearly every aspect of Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, it gives port which made the period of separation so the organization. This award is reflective of me great pleasure to rise today to commemo- much easier to bear. I know of no other time her dedication. rate the 80th birthday of a living legend here in our nation’s history when so many em- in the United States Congress and a man who ployers have voluntarily offered this level of f support and benefits. is revered and respected throughout this coun- try, my predecessor, Congressman Louis I recognize that these generous actions IWG 2-YEAR EXTENSION have not been without sacrifice. Each of you Stokes. has earned the deepest appreciation of this Born February 23, 1925, in Cleveland, Ohio, Department and the United States Govern- Louis Stokes was educated in the Cleveland ment for your unswerving support of our na- HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY Public Schools, graduating from Central High tion’s military. Without this continued sup- OF NEW YORK School. He went on to serve honorably in the port, we could not maintain a strong mili- United States Army during the Second World tary or sustain the current effort to over- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES come the international terrorist threat di- War. After three years of service he returned rected at our country, our citizens, and all Wednesday, February 16, 2005 to Cleveland where he attended Western Re- who love freedom. serve University and later earned his Doctor of You have my deepest thanks. Your direct Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, today, I, Laws Degree from Cleveland Marshall Law contributions and support are another illus- along with 12 of my bipartisan colleagues, in- School in 1953. tration of America’s greatness as a nation. cluding Chairmen DAVIS and HOEKSTRA and On November 6, 1968, Louis Stokes was Sincerely, Ranking Members WAXMAN, HARMAN, and elected to the United States Congress, be- DONALD RUMSFELD, Secretary of Defense. CONYERS, introduce a bill that will extend the coming the first African American member of term of the Nazi War Crimes Interagency Congress from the State of Ohio. He served f Working Group by 2 years. This is the com- 15 consecutive terms in the U.S. House of DEDICATED TO THE ‘‘COWBELLES’’ panion bill of S. 384, a bill introduced by Sen- Representatives, ranking 11th overall in House ator DEWINE and passed in the Senate today. seniority. Louis Stokes played a pivotal role in HON. JIM COSTA Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of the history the quest for civil rights, equality and social OF CALIFORNIA and the impact of this legislation. I would like and economic justice throughout his tenure in IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES to thank Senator DEWINE and his staff for their the United States Congress. He served on nu- merous committees throughout his tenure in- Wednesday, February 16, 2005 tireless work and for the energy they have put forth to ensure that we know as much as we cluding the House Select Committee on As- Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to can about our Government’s past involvement sassinations, the Ethics Committee, and the honor and congratulate Ramona Snow, of Ba- with Nazi War criminals. House Intelligence Committee. kersfield, California. Ramona has been des- He was the dean of the Ohio Congressional ignated the Kern County ‘‘Cattlewoman of the In 1998, Congress passed the Nazi War Delegation and a founding member of the Year’’ by Kern County Cattlemen and Crimes Disclosure Act, a law that was enacted Congressional Black Caucus. His work in the Cattlewomen Associations. to explain the relationship between the U.S. area of health led to his appointment as a Ramona was born into a family of nine sib- Government and former Nazis. The act re- member of the Pepper Commission on Com- lings and attended schools in Bakersfield until quired the release of all previously classified prehensive Health Care, and he was the her senior year in high school when she trans- information on the topic to the Interagency founder and chairman of the Congressional ferred to Ventura. Shortly thereafter the family Working Group on Nazi War Crimes, IWG. Black Caucus Health Braintrust. His resume in returned to Bakersfield, Ramona married Rob- The documents provided thus far to the IWG its entirety is too lengthy to be recorded in this ert Snow, and began her life as a have revealed that there was a closer relation- resolution as it is adequately recorded in the cattlewoman. ship between the U.S. Government and Nazi CONGRESSIONAL RECORD. She became adept at pulling calves and war criminals than previously known, a revela- On behalf of the people of the 11th Con- doctoring ailing stock, as well as everyday tion that is crucial to the understanding of his- gressional District, I join with his wife Jay, chil- ranch chores. Between raising her four chil- tory. This significant knowledge would not dren, Shelley, Angela, Louis and Lori, grand- dren and ranch chores, Ramona found time to have been possible without the cooperation of children, family and friends in wishing Con- become active in 4–H as a sewing and cook- many agencies including the Department of gressman Louis Stokes a very happy and ing leader. In 1964 Ramona was asked to be- Justice, Department of Defense, and the Fed- blessed 80th birthday. You have been a trail- come a member of CowBelles, which led to a eral Bureau of Investigation. blazer for so many who have followed in your long and active career within what is now Until recently, the CIA had not complied with footsteps. I thank you for your continued sup- known as the Cattlewomen’s Association. the law and did not release the documents port and guidance throughout my career. May Upon joining, Ramona became highly in- needed to complete the IWG’s task, as de- you have many, many more. volved and chaired many committees. Such fined by law. Fortunately, after discussions f committees included, ‘‘Beef for Father’s Day,’’ with Senator DEWINE and myself and under and ‘‘Beef for Mother’s Day.’’ Ramona served DEDICATED RANCHER the leadership of Director Porter Goss, the as Vice President in 1976 and was elected CIA agreed to release the requisite docu- President the following year. She was elected ments. With the term of the IWG set to expire HON. JIM COSTA as President again in 1991. at the end of March 2005, we are now at a OF CALIFORNIA Mrs. Snow has been an inventive member IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES of CowBelles. She came up with the idea of critical juncture. a children’s cookbook to be handed out at the This bill is simple. It extends the term of the Wednesday, February 16, 2005 Kern County Museum. Ramona was respon- IWG so that it can complete its work, write a Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to sible for prize winning fair booths including the comprehensive report, and send it to Con- honor and congratulate Fred David Lavers II, ‘‘Best Dressed Table’’ that promoted beef at gress. We hope to move this quickly in the of Glennville, California. Mr. Lavers is being the Kern County Fair for over 30 years. In the House, as they did in the Senate, to avoid a recognized by the Kern County Cattlemen and 1950s the CowBelles started awarding leather lapse in this important work. History, and the Cattlewomen Association as the ‘‘Cattleman of halters and now silver buckles to the winners memory of the millions who perished in the the Year.’’ of the Reserve Champion Steers at the Fair. Holocaust, deserve nothing less than full dis- Born in Bakersfield, Mr. Lavers has lived on Ramona designs these buckles each year so closure. the ranch at Glennville nearly his whole life.

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