HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES—Tuesday, May 19, 2009
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May 19, 2009 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE, Vol. 155, Pt. 10 12739 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES—Tuesday, May 19, 2009 The House met at 10:30 a.m. and was years ago. His father, Joe, worked at a Well, the first and most influential of called to order by the Speaker pro tem- refuse collection company and later at the ‘‘new media’’ still plays a large role pore (Mr. TONKO). a sheet metal business, and Miah was in our lives. Radio captures that magic f often at his side. in part because of the radio personal- That same friend was asked why ities who captivated us with their dis- DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO Jeremiah had enlisted. The response, tinctive voices and wit, made larger TEMPORE ‘‘he always wanted to when he was a than life by how much was left to our The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- kid. He probably just wanted to out of imagination in terms of the production fore the House the following commu- patriotic duty to go serve. And I think and even what they looked like. Wil- nication from the Speaker: he wanted to go do his part.’’ liam Conrad was the radio voice of The question first asked by Jim Gunsmoke’s marshal, Matt Dillon, who WASHINGTON, DC, Michener thunders across the country- May 19, 2009. was played on TV by actor James side with a loss like this: ‘‘Where do we I hereby appoint the Honorable PAUL Arness, 6 foot 6, tall and rangy with TONKO to act as Speaker pro tempore on this get such men?’’ Mr. Speaker, I don’t craggy good looks. William Conrad, the day. know how to offer condolences to Miah radio voice, sounded that way, but he NANCY PELOSI, McCleery’s family, to his father, Joe, was short and rotund. And while he Speaker of the House of Representatives. to his sisters, Lynette and Chastity, looked distinctive, few would confuse f and to his grandparents and many him with a matinee idol. From Fred friends. The loss they bear is beyond Alan, Jack Benny and Edward R. Mur- MORNING-HOUR DEBATE my comprehension. row to Scott Simon, Garrison Keillor I can only offer my awe and gratitude The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- today, these people play an important that humanity has within itself a small ant to the order of the House of Janu- role not just in a communication and band of brothers like Jeremiah ary 6, 2009, the Chair will now recog- entertainment medium, but in the lives McCleery who stepped forward not for nize Members from lists submitted by of Americans. the majority and minority leaders for treasure or profit nor even to defend In much of the commercial radio morning-hour debate. their own freedom. But rather, to win wasteland today, where content is cen- The Chair will alternate recognition the freedom of a people half a world tralized and digitized, while costs are between the parties, with each party away. And they do it because their cut, local personalities, who played limited to 30 minutes and each Mem- country asks and because it is virtuous such a profound role in virtually every ber, other than the majority and mi- and noble. community, are more and more a dis- nority leaders and the minority whip, A few feet from here in the Capitol tant memory. limited to 5 minutes. Rotunda is a fresco called the ‘‘Apothe- osis of Washington.’’ It depicts General In my hometown of Portland, Or- f Washington, in uniform, ascending to egon, we are still blessed with a few HONORING ARMY SPECIALIST the heavens, flanked by victory and distinctive local voices. But sadly last JEREMIAH P. MCCLEERY freedom, and surrounded by the essence month, we lost one who can only be de- and fruits of a free Nation. And in that scribed as an icon. For decades Les The SPEAKER pro tempore. The depiction, Washington beckons. Chair recognizes the gentleman from Sarnoff was the most distinctive per- From little towns like Portola, Cali- sonality in what started as an idiosyn- California (Mr. MCCLINTOCK) for 5 min- fornia, decent young men and women utes. cratic, offbeat and obscure FM station. with promising futures, like Jeremiah He helped it grow into a major com- Mr. MCCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I McCleery, have answered. And I don’t rise today with the sad duty of recog- mercial success and a Portland fixture. know where we get such men, and I The characteristics that made him nizing the death in combat of Army don’t know how their families can bear Specialist Jeremiah P. McCleery, age such a well respected professional and it. But I do know what we owe them. beloved local figure helped him rise 24, of Portola, California. And I do know that we can never repay Mr. Speaker, if you read the observa- above and survive the turmoil in the that debt, except to honor their mem- industry, the often destructive tions of his friends, you very quickly ory and keep their sacrifice always in realize this was not only an irreplace- changes, to brighten the mornings of mind, those who gave up everything tens of thousands of my neighbors able loss to his family and a monu- ‘‘to proclaim liberty throughout all the mental loss to his community, but it every day for the better part of three land, and unto all the inhabitants decades. was also a terrible loss for our country. thereof.’’ Miah, as he was known, was simply a Les was a dedicated and disciplined f good kid. He made friends easily, he professional, arising shortly after mid- had a great sense of humor, and he had HONORING AND REMEMBERING night every weekday to spend hours in wanted to join the Army since he was LES SARNOFF preparation before his morning shift. 4 years old. He was an exemplary sol- The SPEAKER pro tempore. The He was a step ahead of legitimate dier who commanded the friendship Chair recognizes the gentleman from trends in music, but with a profound and respect of his colleagues. He had Oregon (Mr. BLUMENAUER) for 5 min- respect for both music and artists that fallen in love with a girl at Fort Hood utes. was timeless. He had a rapport and a before he shipped out, with their whole Mr. BLUMENAUER. This is an era chemistry with not only his audience, lives ahead of them. where new media and communication but the outstanding people that were A friend of his, Josh Rodgers, was devices are seemingly created over- part of his morning team over the asked when Miah McCleery was night. Was it only 3 years ago that years. Despite a demanding schedule happiest, and the answer was, ‘‘doing YouTube bounced on the scene? It and brutal hours, Les always made anything with his dad.’’ They had lost seems like it was last week that we time to be part of public events and his mother, Collette, to cancer a few first heard about Twitter. public affairs. b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. VerDate Mar 15 2010 11:27 Sep 19, 2011 Jkt 079102 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0688 Sfmt 0634 E:\BR09\H19MY9.000 H19MY9 erowe on DSK5CLS3C1PROD with BOUND RECORD 12740 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE, Vol. 155, Pt. 10 May 19, 2009 Now, media and people in politics tients. We cannot afford to be silent the country, droughts and floods are need for, professional and ethical rea- about this disease any longer. We must cyclical. sons, to maintain a certain distance. speak out and take action. That is This photograph is an almond or- That is far more important to a media what we need to do to curtail this very, chard that has been pulled out because personality like Les, than for a politi- very serious problem. of a lack of water. So, to that degree, cian like me. And observe that distance f Congressman CARDOZA and I, in Janu- he did, but always with a sense that I ary, began meeting with the new ad- was a friend, with a sense of interest THE DROUGHT CRISIS IN SAN ministration, laying out a host of ad- and awareness whenever I would visit JOAQUIN VALLEY ministrative efforts that we thought, him in the station or more often do a The SPEAKER pro tempore. The with flexibility, could allow us to move telephone interview from our Nation’s Chair recognizes the gentleman from water around from parts of the State Capitol or an occasional lunch or inter- California (Mr. COSTA) for 5 minutes. that have water. We have met with action at a civic event. But it was not Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today Secretary Salazar and his staff, with Les Sarnoff letting his guard down. It to bring attention to a drought crisis the Mid-Pacific Region and their staff was Les revealing that at core he liked, that is affecting California’s San Joa- time and time again and with the Gov- understood and respected everyone. He quin Valley. Three years of below-aver- ernor and his director of water re- was curious, funny and caring. Even in age rainfall have created tremendous sources, and we have brought to the at- his passing, Les brought our commu- hardships in valley communities that tention of the President and of his nity together as thousands gathered are the backbone of California’s agri- White House staff the fact that they last Sunday to honor his memory in culture economy.