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“REMEMBERING ASSISTANT CHIEF CHRISTIAN JOHNSON” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H8393-H8394 on Oct. 23, 2019.
The Department is primarily focused on food nutrition, with assistance programs making up 80 percent of its budget. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, said the Department implements too many regulations and restrictions and impedes the economy.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
REMEMBERING ASSISTANT CHIEF CHRISTIAN JOHNSON
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Newhouse) for 5 minutes.
Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the life and service of Assistant Fire Chief Christian Johnson of Okanogan County Fire District 3. Chief Johnson recently passed away due to injuries he sustained while fighting the Spring Coulee fire in north central Washington last September.
Mr. Speaker, Chief Johnson is an American hero. He served our country honorably, retiring from the Army after 22 years before joining the fire department nearly 20 years ago to serve his local community. His wife, Pam, described him as selfless, kind, and always ready to help someone in need. He was well-known and well-loved in Okanogan County, which is clear from the community's outpouring of support in recent weeks.
I encourage all in north central Washington to pay their respects at Chief Johnson's memorial this Thursday, October 24, at 1 p.m. at the Okanogan County Fairgrounds.
My deepest condolences go out to Pam and the Johnson family. The people of central Washington are eternally grateful for his selfless service to protect our communities.
Chief Johnson, may you rest in peace.
A Renewed Vision for Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers
Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to applaud and thank the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Forest Service for their recent announcement renewing their commitment and vision to the Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center program.
Operated by the USDA and the Forest Service, Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers, or CCCs, serve rural communities across the country by training the next generation of America's workforce to carry out a unique and particularly important mission: conserving our Federal lands, mitigating fire threats, and suppressing active wildfires.
My central Washington district is home to two of these centers: Columbia Basin in Moses Lake and Fort Simcoe in White Swan. At these centers, students learn hands-on skills that they utilize to expand public access to Federal lands, improve campsites in national forests throughout Washington State, and serve as impactful stewards of our environment.
I have strongly supported and defended Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers because I have witnessed firsthand how these programs act as catalysts for the young people I represent, giving them a chance to give back to their community while learning life-changing skills.
I was sincerely grateful to Secretary Perdue for committing to work with me and my colleagues in Congress to help improve CCC programs across the country instead of transferring operations to the Department of Labor earlier this year. Now, with this recent announcement, Secretary Perdue has followed through on his word.
Under the Secretary's direction, Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen announced a recommitment to Job Corps CCC students by realigning the mission of these centers with the Forest Service's own motto, which is ``Caring for the Land and Serving People.''
The U.S. Forest Service is uniquely qualified to administer Civilian Conservation Centers, which play a critical role throughout the United States and go above and beyond traditional Job Corps programs. Under this new vision, these specialized Job Corps programs will better prepare both urban and rural youth to become the next generation of responsible land managers.
The Forest Service has committed to revamp the CCC's curriculum to meet the needs of Forest Service regions across the United States. Focusing on regional performance targets will allow the agency to increase student learning opportunities while making much-needed improvements to forest conditions. By strengthening the alumni network and supporting a pipeline between CCCs and the Forest Service, these centers can focus on jobs in forestry, firefighting, and conservation, which are all critical careers throughout the rural West.
In the words of Chief Christiansen: ``Our Job Corps faculty and students embody the Forest Service values of service, interdependence, conservation, diversity, and safety.''
As I have seen firsthand, these students and our public lands deserve this investment.
So, Mr. Speaker, I thank Secretary Sonny Perdue and Chief Vicki Christiansen for their commitment to rural America, our national lands, and the students of the Civilian Conservation Centers.
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