June 8, 2005 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1155 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS RECOGNIZING THE 30TH ANNIVER- for his dedicated service to our country and This year, over 25 Bay Area High Schools SARY OF VICTIMS SERVICES our community. Mr. Carlson recently retired as competed in 10 unique categories, Judges CENTER OF MONTGOMERY COUN- the Fire Chief of the city of Riverside, Cali- from the American Musical Theatre were sent TY fornia. He has protected our citizens as a war- to each school to watch and evaluate perform- rior and fireman over a 39-year career in pub- ances. Judges were instructed to evaluate the HON. JIM GERLACH lic service. quality of each production and performance, OF PENNSYLVANIA Dave grew up in Sacramento and graduated while keeping in mind each school’s budget IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES from Luther Burbank High School in 1966. and available resources. This annual competi- Wednesday, June 8, 2005 Two weeks later he enlisted in the Navy to tion awarded four students who reside within pursue his childhood dream of becoming a California’s 16th district. Mr. GERLACH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ‘‘frogman.’’ Dave graduated from Underwater Alok is a student from Valley Christian High recognize Victim Services Center (VSC) of Demolition/SEAL training and went on to serve School. He won the Best Student Scenic De- Montgomery County, Inc. on its 30th anniver- two tours of duty in Vietnam. In 1972 he be- sign award for his work in ‘‘Godspell’’. sary. came a firefighter in Santa Barbara County, The High School Music Theatre HONORS In 1974, a group of five women from Mont- California. Dave worked his way through the awards promote artistic creativity in a way that gomery County, Pennsylvania organized VSC, ranks and became a Battalion Chief in 1981. is vital to a youth’s development. The perform- then called Women Against Rape, due to con- Constantly striving for self improvement, Dave ances that these youth stage are extremely cerns over the lack of a sensitive and uniform attended college on his days off. He earned a labor intensive, and promote discipline, team response to victims of sexual assault. As Bachelor’s Degree in Public Service Manage- work, and dedication. High School Performing awareness of sexual assault grew, the need to ment and a Master’s Degree in Public Admin- Arts programs are generally underfunded and recognize that both men and women are vic- istration from the University of La Verne. In have been greatly reduced in recent years. I tims, and that both sexes can contribute to the 1991, Dave became the Fire Chief in the City recognize the hard work, time, and energy that solution, transformed the agency into what of Norco, California. In 1994, he became the these students and teachers put into these was known as the Rape Crisis Center. In Deputy Fire Chief of the City of Riverside and productions. 1985, additional services were added to sup- in 1996 he was appointed Fire Chief. I am proud to stand here today and recog- port victims of other serious crimes, including Dave Carlson is always looking for innova- nize Alok for his accomplishments. I urge him a victim witness program. To reflect this ex- tive ways to provide better public safety serv- and all students to continue to take interest in pansion of services, the name of the organiza- ice to the community. In 1999 he implemented the performing arts. tion was subsequently changed to Victim a paramedic program through a joint partner- f Services Center of Montgomery County, Inc. ship with American Medical Response and the and it is thus known today. INSURANCE OPTION HAS WORKERS Riverside County Medical Services Agency. PAY MORE Victim Services Center has become a com- This partnership resulted in a higher level of prehensive crime victims organization that pro- emergency care and faster emergency re- vides free, confidential 24-hour crisis interven- sponse at no cost to the City of Riverside’s HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH tion, advocacy, and counseling service to vic- general fund. OF OHIO tims of crime and safety education programs Throughout his career, Dave has served in IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES to schools from preschool to college. It like- professional and public organizations. He has Wednesday, June 8, 2005 wise provides outstanding training services to always been active in the California Fire Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I wish to bring professionals and law enforcement personnel. Chiefs’ Organization, serving a two-year term Approaching nearly 30 years of service, Vic- the following article on associated health plans as President from 2000 to 2002. He is also tim Services Center has achieved a exemplary to the attention of my colleagues. We must the Chair of the Department of Corrections reputation in Montgomery County for confiden- continue to work to bring health care coverage Citizens’ Advisory Committee for the California tial, supportive services that have aided thou- to the more than 45 million Americans who Rehabilitation Center. In 2004, Dave’s accom- sands of people seeking help. Without the are uninsured. This article clearly shows that plishments were justly recognized when he re- presence of Victim Services Center in the associated health plans are not the solution. I ceived the Distinguished Public Service Ca- community, crime victims would be left to fend will continue to push for the adoption of a truly reer Award from the City of Riverside and was for themselves through a maze of government comprehensive and universal, single-payer named the ‘‘Fire Chief of the Year’’ by the agencies and court proceedings, while also health care program. California Fire Chiefs’ Association. having to cope with the trauma of criminal vic- [From the Los Angeles Times, May 23, 2005] Fire Chiefs such as Dave Carlson provide a timization. INSURANCE OPTION HAS WORKERS PAY MORE remarkable level of protection to our commu- Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me (By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar) nities. They work just as hard at preventing today in recognizing Victim Services Center of For years, they were the kinds of health fires and accidents as they do in responding Montgomery County, Inc. on its 30th anniver- insurance plans one found at small busi- to them. Dave has had an exceptional career sary. The VSC’s tremendous efforts in aiding nesses or among the self-employed, plans keeping our community safe. He has earned that had huge deductibles and required victims of sexual assault and other crimes my many thanks and I wish him great success workers to pay a lot of medical bills them- have truly made a difference in our commu- in all his future endeavors. selves—such as allergy shots, chest X-rays nity. and the cost of a new baby. f f They weren’t the policies most people pre- RECOGNIZIING ALOK WADHWAN ferred, but they were the best some people TRIBUTE TO DAVE CARLSON ON could afford, better than no insurance at all. THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIRE- Now, as medical costs keep climbing, those MENT FROM THE CITY OF RIV- HON. ZOE LOFGREN high-deductible plans are spreading to the ERSIDE FIRE DEPARTMENT OF CALIFORNIA giant corporations that have long been the backbone of traditional job-related, low de- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ductible health insurance. And if the trend HON. KEN CALVERT Wednesday, June 8, 2005 continues, it could reshape the medical in- OF CALIFORNIA Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Mr. surance landscape and sharply redistribute IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES costs, risks and responsibilities for many of Speaker, I rise today to recognize Alok Wednesday, June 8, 2005 the 160 million Americans with private cov- Wadhwani for his award of Best Student Sce- erage. Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to nic Design in the 11th annual High School A number of large employers, including de- recognize and honor Fire Chief Dave Carlson Music Theatre HONORS awards in San Jose. fense contractor Northrop Grumman Corp., ∑ 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 04 2004 06:50 Jun 09, 2005 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K08JN8.001 E08PT1 E1156 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks June 8, 2005 the Wendy’s hamburger chain, high-tech con- a Mercer Human Resource Consulting sur- Kronenberg, chief strategy officer for glomerate Fujitsu and office supply retailer vey. Lumenos. ‘‘We’ve got to see behavior change Staples Inc., are adding what they call con- Employers say the new plans are not de- for us as a country to be able to address the sumer-directed health plans to their menus signed primarily to shift costs to workers. escalating health care costs we’ve got.’’ of insurance options. The ultimate goal, they say, is to cut health When patients have no ‘‘skin in the game,’’ In a recent survey, 26 percent of large em- care costs by changing consumers’ behav- he said, they don’t think about how to save. ployers said they would offer such plans in ior—teaching them to be more cost-con- In Washington, Republican policy-makers 2006, up from 14 percent this year. Another scious about things such as generic drugs. have encouraged the trend toward high de- survey found that about half of large compa- ‘‘In three to five years, every company is ductible insurance plans. nies were considering adding them. going to offer them,’’ predicted Alexander Congress expanded tax-sheltered medical A few companies are pursuing a ‘‘full re- Domaszewicz, a Mercer senior consultant accounts and renamed them health savings placement’’ strategy that leaves workers based in Newport Beach.