CONGRESSIONAL RECORD— Extensions of Remarks E1307 HON
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June 20, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1307 and commitment as a leader in his state. He More than just communication, Colonel workers in States like Michigan an additional is truly deserving of our respect and admira- Lauritzen continues to facilitate progress, even 13 weeks of benefits, which received very tion. when progress is difficult. He worked directly strong bipartisan support in the House just last f with Fairfax and Prince William Counties, the week, is not included in this supplemental ap- Virginia Department of Transportation, and the propriations bill. TRIBUTE TO COLONEL BRIAN W. Army Corps of Engineers to address some of The unemployment benefits provision in this LAURITZEN the many transportation challenges facing the supplemental provides just 13 additional region. Especially noteworthy is his personal weeks for every State. It does not provide any HON. TOM DAVIS involvement to secure an agreement to com- extra help for States that need it the most. OF VIRGINIA plete the extension of the Fairfax County Park- States like Michigan where the unemployed IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES way, a vital connection across the Fort’s Engi- are having great difficulty finding work be- Friday, June 20, 2008 neer Proving Ground, something that had fes- cause there are so few jobs to be had. Work- tered unresolved for more than 10 years. ers have little opportunity to move to other Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I Inside the perimeter of his base, Colonel areas to find work because they can’t sell their rise today to recognize COL Brian W. Lauritzen has steadfastly insisted that our Na- homes, and they are having difficulty driving Lauritzen, the Installation Commander at Fort tion’s Soldiers and their families deserve the far distances to try and find a new job be- Belvoir, Virginia. As a Member of Congress highest quality of life. Fort Belvoir has one of cause of the high cost of gas. Michigan, with who represents Fort Belvoir, I know firsthand the Army’s most successful Residential Com- the worst unemployment rate in the Nation, that Colonel Lauritzen has served with great munity Initiative programs that has revitalized needs extra help. This supplemental does not competence, tireless determination and con- the approach to military housing and neighbor- provide it. stant communication with the community dur- hood centers, creating first-class communities I will be supporting both sections of the sup- ing a time of great transition for his installa- for those who serve our Nation in uniform. plemental. It provides equipment and pay for tion. On a more personal note, Colonel Lauritzen our troops in harm’s way and educational ben- Colonel Lauritzen took command of Fort and his staff have eagerly addressed ques- efits for them when they return home. And the Belvoir, one of our Nation’s largest and most tions or constituent concerns that my office level of aid to the unemployed all across the diverse military installations, in July 2005 with has brought to their attention. Regardless of country is a good start. However, I am dis- major challenges awaiting him and even more how complicated or involved these requests appointed we have not provided the much on the horizon. Fort Belvoir was already en- may have been, I have always found his door needed extra assistance to those who need it gaged in master planning for redevelopment to to be open to discuss the issues and, more most. We must continue to work to help the expand the number of Department of Defense often than not, find compromise to difficult sit- chronically unemployed to get that additional tenants and stretch the functions of the al- uations. safety net that will help support countless fam- ready busy installation. Then, just a few Madam Speaker, at Fort Belvoir’s Change ilies in Michigan. months into his tenure, the 2005 Base Re- of Command Ceremony on Tuesday, July 2, f alignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission’s Colonel Lauritzen—West Point graduate, Sol- final recommendations doubled the size of dier, and extraordinary officer—will retire from RECOGNIZING THE HONORABLE Fort Belvoir’s incoming workforce by 2011. the Army and enter a new chapter in his life. ANDREW L. JEFFERSON, JR. The BRAC changes at Fort Belvoir, among I have truly enjoyed working with him, and the most substantial of BRAC 2005’s man- wish him all the best as he pursues new en- HON. AL GREEN dates, will transform the installation into. the deavors. He has truly served Fort Belvoir, Vir- OF TEXAS major support center for the Nation’s most ginia, and our Nation with the highest stand- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES senior military leadership. Ensuring a success- ards of leadership expected from the very best Friday, June 20, 2008 ful transition has brought with it the great chal- of our military commanders. lenges of working with both the Department of f Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, Defense and the local community. These chal- it is my privilege to recognize a distinguished lenges include timely and transparent plan- SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS academic, activist, and advocate, my friend, ning, assessing the environmental and societal ACT, 2008 the Honorable Andrew L. Jefferson, Jr. The impacts of absorbing more than 19,000 new passage of H. Res. 31, which recognizes the employees, managing the transportation infra- SPEECH OF Honorable Andrew L. Jefferson on the occa- structure in an area already burdened by traf- HON. CANDICE S. MILLER sion of the establishment of The Andrew L. fic, and ensuring that all of Fort Belvoir’s de- OF MICHIGAN Jefferson Endowment for Trial Advocacy at fense tenants can still perform their vital na- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Texas Southern University’s Thurgood Mar- tional security missions. shall School of Law, is a fitting tribute to a Colonel Lauritzen has ably met these Thursday, June 19, 2008 man whose life exemplifies excellence and in- daunting challenges with the superb attitude Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, the tegrity. that, in order to be successful, Fort Belvoir Michigan Department of Labor and Economic The Honorable Andrew L. Jefferson, a na- must continue to be receptive and responsive Growth yesterday shocked Michigan when it tive of Dallas, Texas, graduated from the Uni- to the concerns of all of the surrounding com- released its unemployment figures. Michigan’s versity of Texas School of Law in 1959 after munities. His early promise to the community unemployment rate has risen from 6.9 percent earning his Bachelor’s degree from Texas that there would be ‘‘no daylight between us’’ in April to 8.5 percent in May. This is the high- Southern University, was president of Alpha has held true. Colonel Lauritzen established est rate in our State since October of 1992. Phi Alpha fraternity, and became a partner the BRAC Board of Advisors, a first-in-the-na- Regrettably, we are now one month away with the law firm of Washington and Jefferson tion group bringing together members of the from recording our eighth straight year of pay- in Houston, Texas. Army, incoming agencies, and the region’s roll job losses. He served as an assistant criminal district elected officials and local civic activists to It is in this context that my constituents are attorney for Bexar Country, a chief assistant identify development issues and keep open hearing the news that Congress is debating United States Attorney for the Western District the lines of communication. providing additional unemployment benefits of Texas, and a trial counsel and labor rela- I have always found Colonel Lauritzen to be which are desperately needed by too many tions counsel for Humble Oil and Refining the consummate consensus builder. He per- working families in my State. Last week this Company. In 1970, Judge Jefferson was ap- sonally has made more than 150 appearances House passed H.R. 5749, the Emergency Ex- pointed to preside over the Court of Domestic and presentations before community groups to tended Unemployment Compensation Act, Relations number 2 for Harris County. In keep them apprised of the BRAC expansion, with nearly 2⁄3 of the Members of the House 1974, he was elected to Judge of the 208th Fort Belvoir’s other missions, and their impact voting in favor. This bill would provide an addi- District Court. on the community. Similarly, he built strong tional 13 weeks of unemployment benefits to In 1975, he decided to re-enter the active communication coalitions with and between unemployed workers in every State. Unem- practice of law and was admitted to the United the major commands headquartered at Fort ployed workers in States with exceptionally States Court of Appeals for Fifth, Sixth and Belvoir in support of their people and their high unemployment rates, like Michigan, would Eleventh Circuits, and the Supreme Court of global missions through the Installation Senior receive an additional 13 weeks of benefits be- the United States of America. A long time ac- Leadership Council. yond that. Unfortunately, the provision granting tive committee member of the State bar, VerDate Aug 31 2005 04:05 Jun 21, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A20JN8.034 E20JNPT1 erowe on PRODPC61 with REMARKS E1308 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks June 20, 2008 Judge Andrew L. Jefferson is a fellow of the HONORING THE WEST GENESEE want to know what Congress is doing to sup- Texas Bar Foundation, a member of American GIRLS LACROSSE TEAM port them during the current recession. Almost Bar Foundation, the Texas Trial Lawyer’s As- every month, unemployment is on the rise sociation, Texas Constitutional Revision Com- HON.