June 29, 2001 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1245 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS HONORING THE LATE JIMMIE marily the job of state and local government. IN HONOR OF DOCTOR OFEM AJAH ICARDO But the federal government also has an impor- tant role to play—whether through funding HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS HON. WILLIAM M. THOMAS transportation, infrastructure, schools, and the OF NEW YORK OF CALIFORNIA like; establishing federal tax incentives and IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES disincentives for private development; or puff- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Thursday, June 28, 2001 ing in place federal permits and licenses that Thursday, June 28, 2001 may contribute to or restrain sprawl. Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I am sad to re- The federal government can also help to Doctor Ofem Ajah for his dedication to the port that Kern County, California lost one of its provide information to help towns and cities field of medicine and health education. most prominent and successful friends when grow in a smarter and more sustainable way. Doctor Ajah, born in Nigeria, was faced with Jimmie Icardo passed away. Few can or will Wise community planning and management many obstacles throughout his education. match commitment to his family, his church cannot happen if communities do not have in- Born to peasant farmers, Ofem was required and to Kern County. formation to make sound decisions. The fed- to help on the farm while he attended school. The businesses Jimmie developed are eral government can bring valuable—and pow- His family was further impoverished and his going to be models for young Californians for erful informational planning resources to the education interrupted when war broke out in years to come. He built strong family farm op- table. Nigeria. He continued with his secondary edu- cation on an academic scholarship. His aca- erations that produced quality melons, toma- One new space-age tool is the use of sat- toes, peppers and other crops. He was active demic excellence propelled him to the Univer- ellites to provide images of the Earth’s sur- sity of Ilorin in Nigeria for both his under- in the oil and gas, banking and real estate in- face. We now have technology using dustries. Jimmie made his own successes graduate and medical degrees. geospatial data from satellites—that can Ofem is and always has been involved in through honest dealings with his neighbors produce very accurate maps that show infor- and a tremendous amount of hard work. He community affairs. In high school, he was edi- mation about vegetation, wildlife habitat, flood tor-in-chief of the school magazine. His in- was equally committed to his community. plains, transportation corridors, soil types, and Jimmie Icardo will also be remembered for volvement continued into medical school many other things. Satellite imagery and re- where he served as Secretary of the Medical the tremendous support he has given the Cali- mote sensing, when combined with Geo- fornia State University at Bakersfield over the Students Union as well as Chief Organizer of graphic Information System (GIS) and Global the Nigerian Medical Students’ Games. After years, in particular the University’s athletic Positioning Satellite (GPS) system information, programs. Jimmie ran barbecues to raise completing his medical degree, Ofem taught can be invaluable tools for use in such areas mathematics in a high school in Nigeria. money for athletic scholarships, established a as land-use planning, transportation, emer- trust to benefit the program and supported the It was only after Ofem finished his medical gency response planning, and environmental internship that Ofem immigrated to the United school in other ways. His strong support over planning. Getting this integrated geospatial several decades helped build CSU Bakersfield States. As a distinguished physician, Ofem data to local communities would give planners continued his medical training at the Interfaith into the school it is today. The school’s deci- important information they could use to avoid sion to rededicate its athletic center as the Medical Center in Brooklyn where he became problems and help communities grow more Chief Resident. Pursuing his inner quest for Jimmie and Marjorie Icardo Activities Center is smartly. only a start toward acknowledging how hard knowledge, Ofem obtained a specialty in gas- As a member of the House Science Com- Jimmie worked over the years to support an troenterology. mittee and the Space and Aeronautics Sub- For Ofem Ajah, being an accomplished doc- important educational resource for Kern Coun- committee, I have learned about the techno- tor has enabled him to give of his free time. ty. logical opportunities available from federal Dr. Ajah regularly donates his time and energy Jimmie Icardo was a person you asked for agency activities and capabilities. The bill I am to educating everyone about colon cancer. He help to get things done. His strengths and introducing would establish a program that will is also currently working on his second novel. sense of commitment to our community are demonstrate the effectiveness of the use of in- Ofem devotes himself to the love of his life, going to be missed by those who now have to tegrated geospatial data to other governmental Francine Smalls-Ajah. Together, they have measure up to his example. sectors. one daughter, Achayen, and two sons, Anijah f The bill would establish in NASA a program and Tuniche. REMOTE SENSING APPLICATION of grants for competitively awarded pilot Mr. Speaker, Doctor Ofem Ajah has devoted ACT OF 2001 projects to explore the integrated use of his life to serving his community through his sources of remote sensing and other excellent knowledge of medicine. As such, he geospatial information to address state, local, is more than worthy of receiving our recogni- HON. MARK UDALL tion today. I hope that all of my colleagues will OF COLORADO regional, and tribal agency needs. This pro- posed legislation would build on and com- join me in honoring this truly remarkable man. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES plement an applications program that NASA’s f Thursday, June 28, 2001 Office of Earth Science announced earlier this THE CITY OF EMERSON Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, today year. Like NASA’s program, the Remote Sens- I am introducing the Remote Sensing Applica- ing Applications Act would seek to translate HON. BOB BARR tions Act of 2001. This bill would help commu- scientific and technical capabilities in Earth OF GEORGIA nities grow more smartly by giving them great- science into practical tools to help public and IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES er access to geospatial data—information from private sector decisionmakers solve practical analysis of data from orbiting satellites and air- problems at the state and local levels. Thursday, June 28, 2001 borne platforms—from federal agencies such The Remote Sensing Applications Act has Mr. BARR of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, this as NASA and commercial sources. the potential to begin to bridge the gap be- summer, the City of Emerson will move into a I am pleased that my colleague Representa- tween established and emerging technology new City Hall facility. In honor of this occasion, tive JIM GREENWOOD is joining me as an origi- solutions and the problems and challenges I would like to recognize some of the unique nal cosponsor of this bill. that state and local communities face regard- historical facts underlying the development of Many of our cities, in Colorado and across ing growth management and other issues. I this small and growing town in Bartow County, the country, are experiencing problems with look forward to working with Rep. GREENWOOD Georgia. unchecked and unplanned growth—otherwise and other Members of the House to move for- The history of Emerson, at least for human known as sprawl. Planning for growth is pri- ward with this important initiative. purposes, begins with its settlement by native ∑ 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 11<MAY>2000 02:48 Jun 30, 2001 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A29JN8.000 pfrm03 PsN: E29PT1 E1246 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks June 29, 2001 Americans. At the time the first European set- sis—the shortage of nurses in health care fa- ommended patient load. Overworked nurses tlers arrived, it was inhabited primarily by cilities across the Nation. Nurses are an abso- are being forced to juggle more tasks than any Cherokee Indian tribes, whose artifacts still lutely essential component of our health care single person can be expected to handle, and line the shores of the Etowah River. system—no piece of medical equipment will are being asked to do procedures that they Following its settlement, Emerson began to ever replace the around-the-clock surveillance haven’t been adequately trained for. grow into a community built on nearby rail provided by our Nation’s nurses. There is sim- Our nurses have reached the end of their lines; rich agricultural lands; and near iron, ply no substitute for the element of humanity rope. To quote Kim Cloninger, a registered graphite, and gold deposits. During the Civil that nurses bring to medicine. Therefore, I find nurse from Illinois: ‘‘I wake up every day and War, the area in and around Emerson was it extremely alarming that one in five nurses hope I don’t kill someone today. Every day I crossed by numerous military forces as Sher- plans to quit the profession within five years pray: God protect me.