RECOGNIZING HERMAN PORTER

On 2026-09-24, Representative David G. Valadao (R-CA-22) delivered a floor speech titled "RECOGNIZING HERMAN PORTER" in the House.

RECOGNIZING HERMAN PORTER

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 152 (Thursday, September 24, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 152 (Thursday, September 24, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E966] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] RECOGNIZING HERMAN PORTER ______ HON. DAVID G. VALADAO of california in the house of representatives Thursday, September 24, 2026 Mr. VALADAO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Herman Porter as the 2026 Kern County Fair Person of the Year and to thank him for his decades of dedicated service to the community. Mr. Porter first became involved with the Kern County Fair in 1955 as a high school FFA member showing beef cattle. In 1963, he married his wife, Jeannette Ansolabehere, who was also a fair exhibitor, showing sheep. Together, they raised two daughters, both of whom participated in local 4-H programs. During this time, Herman became a leader of the local Cawelo 4-H Club and later the Southwest 4-H Club, where he helped young people learn responsibility and succeed. Over the years, his experience and guidance have helped countless exhibitors, including the 25 Kern County Fair Grand Champions he helped select and mentor. Mr. Porter's contributions extend well beyond the show ring. He has been a steadfast leader on the Junior Livestock Committee, helping raise funds, supporting local livestock auctions, and providing scholarships for community youth. Mr. Porter has also served on the Dairy and Clean Stall Committees, always willing to lend his time and experience to help make the fair a success. For more than seven decades, Mr. Porter's dedication to the community and the fair has always been more than animal showing competition. He has encouraged young people, taught responsibility, and strengthened the agricultural traditions of the Central Valley. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in congratulating Mr. Herman Porter on being named the 2026 Kern County Fair Person of the Year and thanking him for his decades of service, leadership, and dedication to the Kern County community. ____________________