April 25, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð Extensions of Remarks E623 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS ELISEO VASQUEZ MEDINA: AN TRIBUTE TO THE CONCERNED and their home catch fire, well-trained and ORGANIZER'S ORGANIZER CITIZENS OF BELLEVILLE qualified volunteer fire departments are ready and willing to give so graciously and gener- HON. WILLIAM J. MARTINI ously of themselves. This peace of mind HON. BOB FILNER OF NEW JERSEY should not be taken for granted. By selflessly giving of themselves, they en- OF CALIFORNIA IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES sure a safer future for us all. We owe these Wednesday, April 24, 1996 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES volunteer fire departments a debt of gratitude Mr. MARTINI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to for their service and sacrifice. Wednesday, April 24, 1996 pay tribute to a very special group of Ameri- f cans from the Eighth Congressional District of Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to New Jersey. Sally Hood, Lyda Panko, John DEFICIT REDUCTION recognize Eliseo Medina, executive director of Piecuch, Carol Smith, Angelo Veneziano, and Local 2028 of the Service Employees Inter- Louise Cordasco, all founding trustees of the HON. RON PACKARD national Union and the newly-elected execu- Concerned Citizens of Belleville, have em- OF CALIFORNIA tive vice president of the Service employees bodied the definition of public service. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES International Union, who will be honored with The individuals who make up the Con- Wednesday, April 24, 1996 a Leadership Award by the San Diego-Impe- cerned Citizens of Belleville have maintained a rial Counties Labor Council on April 27, 1996. successful civic organization truly dedicated to Mr. PACKARD. Mr. Speaker, as a member Eliseo Vasquez Medina entered the labor the service and the betterment of the greater of the Appropriations Committee, I would like to take a moment to commend my Republican movement through the table grape vineyards Belleville community. And, as they celebrate colleagues and Chairman LIVINGSTON for the of Delano, in California's San Joaquin Valley, their 10th anniversary, I am proud and hon- tremendous progress made in returning fiscal where he joined the grape strike led by Cesar ored to offer my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes. responsibility to Washington. Chavez and the United Farm Workers, AFL± The Congressional Budget Office recently CIO in 1965. Quickly recognized as a natural These citizens have given generously of their time, energy, and resources in order to projected the 1996 budget deficit will fall to leader and organizer, he was sent by Cesar foster goodwill and benevolence throughout $144 billion. This is due to the commitment of Chavez to Chicago with a phone number and their community. The Concerned Citizens of the Republican led Congress to rein in un- a bag of buttons to head up what became a Belleville reminds all of us that a community is wieldy Federal spending. We have cut spend- successful boycott organization in the Mid- most profoundly changed not by huge, imper- ing to its lowest level in 14 years. This means west. From there he was sent wherever the sonal institutions, but by people determined to a $23 billion savings for American taxpayers need existed for his energy, intelligence, and make a positive difference. over last year. In fact, my colleagues and I organizational skills. The Concerned Citizens of Belleville's 10 have saved taxpayers $43 billion since gaining Within a few years, Eliseo Medina was years of enduring dedication to their neighbors control of the Congress in 1995. elected to the executive board of the United and friends has brought a sense of great pride We have had to stand tough against the old, Farm Workers, where he became second and accomplishment to the community. Con- big spending culture of Washington. A great vice-president to Cesar Chavez. When the ag- gratulations for a job well done. deal of credit must go to Chairman LIVINGSTON ricultural Labor Relations Act was passed in f who has refused to raise spending caps or California, he returned to lead numerous suc- take spending off-budget. He insisted on find- HONORING THE TROUSDALE ing offsets to pay for $1.3 billion in disaster cessful election drives and negotiate numer- VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT aid, rather than adding to the deficit. In addi- ous historic contracts. tion, my colleagues and I have reduced the Beginning in 1978, Eliseo Medina began the HON. BART GORDON Federal bureaucracy and eliminated wasteful second part of his career as an organizer in OF TENNESSEE programs. diverse industries. He was tapped by the IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES The Republican led Congress has continued American Federation of State, County, and Wednesday, April 24, 1996 to fulfill its promise to the American people. Municipal Employees [AFSCME] to organize We put the brakes on out of control spending employees of the University of California. Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I am taking this and produced the largest down turn in Federal Thereafter, he moved on to organize the Teas opportunity to applaud the invaluable services spending in history. We will continue to make State Employees Union. provided by the Trousdale County Volunteer tough decisions and keep on our glidepath to Fire Department. These brave, civic minded a balanced budget. Five years later, the Service Employees people give freely of their time so that we may f International Union brought him to San Diego, all feel safer at night. where he has led and honed its Local 2028, Few realize the depth of training and hard CLINTON'S BLIND EYE TOWARD increasing its membership threefold and pro- work that goes into being a volunteer fire- IRAN viding service and leadership to thousands of fighter. To quote one of my local volunteers, my constituents in the 50th District of Califor- ``These firemen must have an overwhelming HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH nia. desire to do for others while expecting nothing OF NEW JERSEY Just this week, Eliseo Medina returned to in return.'' IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Preparation includes twice-monthly training Chicago, where the Service Employees Inter- Wednesday, April 24, 1996 national Union elected him to one of its high- programs in which they have live drills, study Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, est levels of leadership, executive vice-presi- the latest videos featuring the latest in fire- fighting tactics, as well as attend seminars yesterday the House Committee on Inter- dent. where they can obtain the knowledge they national Relations held a timely hearing on Mr. Speaker, I join labor leaders in San need to save lives. Within a year of becoming U.S. policy toward Bosnia which delved into Diego and across the country in congratulating a volunteer firefighter, most attend the Ten- charges that the Clinton administration tacitly Eliseo Medina for receiving the San Diego-Im- nessee Fire Training School in Murfreesboro allowed Iran to ship arms to Bosnia via Cro- perial Counties Labor Council's Leadership where they undergo further, intensified train- atia. Unfortunately, there were more serious Award. I know he will always be striving to im- ing. questions raised during the course of that prove the quality of life for the working people When the residents of my district go to bed hearing than were answered by administration of San Diego. at night, they know that should disaster strike representatives. · 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. E624 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð Extensions of Remarks April 25, 1996 As the House sponsor of a bipartisan effort cans from the Eighth Congressional District of TRIBUTE TO MEREDITH TAYLOR to lift the arms embargo against Bosnia, I am New Jersey. extremely concerned about the implications The Veterans of Foreign Wars, Allwood Me- HON. MICHAEL D. CRAPO and consequences of such a policy should morial Post 6487 has for a half century offered OF IDAHO these allegations indeed be substantiated. It is a steadfast portrait of loyalty, sacrifice, and IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ironic that President Clinton apparently was self-resolve. Wednesday, April 24, 1996 willing to turn a blind eye toward Iran while Our loyalties mark the kinds of persons we blocking a majority in the CongressÐa biparti- Mr. CRAPO. Mr. Speaker, I would like to have chosen to become. Real loyalty endures san majorityÐthat called for the United submit the following essay by 16-year-old Mer- inconvenience, withstands hardship, and does StatesÐnot IranÐto take the lead in uphold- edith Taylor, one of my constituents. not flinch under assault. The individuals who ing Bosnia's legitimate and fundamental right Meredith's essay won the Veterans of Foreign make up the Allwood Memorial Post consist- to defend itself. Wars Voice of Democracy Broadcast ently allow this genuine loyalty to pervade the Should the Bosnians have been given the Scriptwriting Contest. whole of their lives. NSWERING MERICA S ALL means to defend themselves in the face of ag- A A ' C gression and genocide? Absolutely. Should The members of VFW, Post 6487 remind us (By Meredith Taylor) those arms have come from Iran? Absolutely that the loyal, patriotic citizen expects no great A needy America calledÐa compassionate reward for coming to his country's aid. On the America answered. Listen: not. ``Give me liberty or give me death!'' ``Let In the past few years, Members from both contrary, a devoted patriot seeks only that his the open arms of your Statue of Liberty sides of the aisle put aside their differences to country flourishes.