March 31, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 154, Pt. 4 4477 Colonel Barbero played an important a race completed by individual dogsled skits, judging various competitions, role in the development of the future teams. and serving as a grand marshall at officers and leaders of the Army. The 1,100-mile journey travels pri- many parades. In 1989, she was offi- Colonel Barbero holds a master of marily through the great Alaskan wil- cially designated by proclamation of science degree in industrial engineer- derness. Throughout this year’s the State legislature as ‘‘Arkansas’s ing from the Georgia Institute of Tech- Iditarod, Lance Mackey was challenged Hat Lady.’’ nology. His military awards include by not only the weather and terrain During her lifetime, Willie belonged the Legion of Merit, Defense Meri- but also by other extraordinary to over 50 national, State, and local or- torious Medal, Meritorious Service mushers such as the 2006 Iditarod win- ganizations, served on over 25 boards, Medal, Ranger Tab, Parachutist Badge, ner, Jeff King, and other previous win- and was active in the First Pres- and is a holder of the Army Armor As- ners of this great race. On the morning byterian Church of Little Rock. sociation’s Order of St. George. of March 12, 2008, thousands gathered Willie Oates was my dear friend and Colonel Barbero is married to the at the famous burled wood arch on an inspiration to all that knew her. I former Vicki Jo Drake of Storm Lake, Front Street in Nome, AK, to cheer on pay tribute to this public servant of IA. They have two children, Mary—14— Lance Mackey, as he sledded to back- Arkansas and express my greatest con- and Michael—10. I congratulate them to-back wins at the Iditarod, beating dolences to her family. She will be too on their husband’s and father’s re- the odds as well as the extremely com- missed.∑ tirement from the Army. The demands petitive international field. Lance f of military life are such that military Mackey and his team of canines com- families also sacrifice and serve the pleted the race in 9 days, 11 hours, and MESSAGES FROM THE PRESIDENT Nation along with their soldier. 46 minutes, beating four-time Iditarod Messages from the President of the Mr. President, the Army, the Senate, champion Jeff King by 1 hour and 19 United States were communicated to and the Nation are lucky to have had minutes. the Senate by Mrs. Neiman, one of his the service of such a great soldier. He For the past few years, Lance has secretaries. ∑ will be sorely missed. shown a mastery of working with and f f training canine athletes for the sport of dog mushing. As the Anchorage EXECUTIVE MESSAGES REFERRED CONGRATULATING LANCE MACKEY Daily News aptly stated: As in executive session the Presiding ∑ Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, A musher doesn’t win four straight, 1,000 Officer laid before the Senate messages today I congratulate Lance Mackey, of mile Yukon Quests and two straight from the President of the United Fairbanks, AK, on achieving the in- Iditarods by making dogs run. He wins by States submitting sundry nominations credible feat of twice winning the making dogs want to run. which were referred to the appropriate Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and the Lance Mackey continues to impress committees. Yukon Quest Sled Dog Race—two 1,000- all of us with his remarkable achieve- (The nominations received today are mile races—in the same year. Last ments and record-setting perform- printed at the end of the Senate pro- year, Lance became the first musher ances. It is my honor to stand before ceedings.) ever to win both races in the same cal- this body today to congratulate Lance f endar year. An achievement, which was Mackey and his team of amazing dogs. previously labeled impossible, has for Lance is a world-class dog musher and MESSAGE FROM THE HOUSE the second consecutive year been ac- a true Alaskan hero, and I wish him At 2:03 p.m., a message from the complished by Lance Mackey and his and his team all the success in the fu- House of Representatives, delivered by team. ture.∑ Ms. Niland, one of its reading clerks, For those who are unfamiliar with ei- f announced that the House has passed ther the Iditarod or the Yukon Quest, the following bill, in which it requests these races are the world’s two longest TRIBUTE TO WILL ETTA ‘‘WILLIE’’ the concurrence of the Senate: OATES dogsled races. Both races, which span H.R. 3361. An act to make technical correc- over 1,000 miles of rigid mountains, fro- ∑ Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I wish to tions related to the Pension Protection Act zen tundra, and dense forests, are true honor the life of a woman reverend of 2006. tests of determination and dedication. across the State of Arkansas as a hum- The message also announced that the Not only does the rugged terrain pose a ble public servant. Will Etta ‘‘Willie’’ House agrees to the amendment of the Sen- huge challenge, but so does the weath- Oates, affectionately known as the ate to the bill (H.R. 3773) to amend the For- er, which frequently drops to 30 or 40 ‘‘Hat Lady,’’ passed away on March 4, eign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 to degrees below zero, and the wind, 2008. She was loved for her active vol- establish a procedure for authorizing certain which can gust up to 100 miles per unteerism and Arkansas pride. acquisitions of foreign intelligence, and for other purposes, with an amendment, in hour. Although she was born in Kansas, she which it requests the concurrence of the Sen- The annual Yukon Quest Sled Dog was an Arkansan through and through. ate. Race is a 1,000-mile international trek Willie was born to Harry and Fern f from Fairbanks, AK, to Whitehorse, Long in Arkansas City, KS, on January Canada. Lance Mackey and his team of 14, 1918. She graduated from the Uni- ENROLLED BILL SIGNED canine athletes crossed this great dis- versity of Arkansas at Fayetteville The message further announced that tance in 10 days, 12 hours, and 14 min- where she was a cheerleader and met the Speaker has signed the following utes, claiming victory for the fourth her life-long husband, Dr. Gordon enrolled bill: year in a row. Oates. It was at the university that she H.R. 1593. An act to reauthorize the grant Only 11 days after his Yukon Quest earned the nickname Willie. program for reentry of offenders into the victory, Lance and six of his dogs that After World War II, Willie began her community in the Omnibus Crime Control competed in the Yukon Quest joined career of volunteerism in Little Rock. and Safe Streets Act of 1968, to improve re- seven of his other dogs and began the She was selected as Little Rock entry planning and implementation, and for 1,100-mile Iditarod Sled Dog Race. This Woman of the Year in 1955. In 1959, she other purposes. race, which starts in Willow, AK, and became the first woman elected to the f ends in Nome, AK, commemorates the Arkansas Legislature in more than 30 1925 diphtheria serum relay run where years. MEASURES PLACED ON THE dogsled teams had to pass along a vac- Yet, it was her ‘‘hat skits’’ that cap- CALENDAR cine from Anchorage to Nome in order tured people’s attention. She traveled The following bill was read the first to save countless lives. The Iditarod across Arkansas and more than 40 and second times by unanimous con- race is no longer run as a relay but is States speaking, performing her hat sent, and placed on the calendar: VerDate Mar 15 2010 13:07 Oct 26, 2010 Jkt 069102 PO 00000 Frm 00025 Fmt 0685 Sfmt 0634 E:\BR08\S31MR8.000 S31MR8 erowe on DSK5CLS3C1PROD with BOUND RECORD.