November 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E2063 Admiral Timme’s awards include the Legion payroll system that equalized the pay for both ning of a relationship that would persist, un- of Merit Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, men and women. broken, for three centuries. Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achieve- In 1966, President Johnson appointed Today we also celebrate the people of the ment Medal and several unit and service Judge Heaney to the 8th Circuit Court of Ap- Netherlands who have stood beside us in awards. peals. In that capacity, Judge Heaney has good and bad times since the War of Inde- The Department of the Navy, the Congress, been a champion of protecting the rights of pendence. The Dutch granted the U.S. Con- and the American people have been well the disadvantaged. He is devoted to making gress its first loan, helping to sustain a strug- served by this dedicated naval officer. Admiral sure that every person has an equal oppor- gling Nation at one of its lowest points; in the Timme’s professionalism, superior technical tunity for an education, a job, and a home. He wake of Pearl Harbor, the Dutch were among and managerial expertise and determination to firmly believes the poor, the less educated, the first nations to align themselves with the support the Fleet are unrivaled. He has been and less advantaged deserve the protections U.S. and they fought proudly with the 82nd instrumental in ensuring that the U.S. Sub- provided by the United States Constitution. and 101st Airborne Divisions in the occupied marine force is, and will remain, the world’s As a hard working, well-prepared, and fair- Netherlands during the Second World War. most preeminent in the 21st century. He minded jurist, Judge Heaney left his legal im- Today, the Dutch stand by us still in the ranks leaves an enduring legacy. primatur on school desegregation cases, of NATO and among our troops in the ongoing Mr. Speaker, I am honored to rise today to bankruptcy law, prisoner treatment, and social efforts to combat terrorism in Afghanistan. express appreciation to Admiral Timme for his security law. Dutch American Heritage Day is a special outstanding service to the nation. I also want His public service is discerned by industry, day not only because it celebrates the herit- to recognize and thank his wife Suzette and brilliance, and scholarly excellence. His com- age and contribution of Americans of Dutch his daughters Savannah and Morgan for their passion and dedication to our most disadvan- descent but because the day is also a cele- loyalty and support. No one in our armed taged are unparalleled. bration of a friendship that has helped shape serves can do their job without the love and It is fitting and proper for Congress to des- and sustain our Nation from the days of its in- understanding of their loved ones. They have ignate the Duluth, Minnesota Federal Building fancy. We are thankful to the people of the shared equally in all of Admiral Timme’s suc- and United States Courthouse and Custom- Netherlands and we look forward to continued cess. On behalf of the citizens of Virginia’s 8th house in honor of Judge Gerald W. Heaney. strong ties and goodwill for years to come. district, I would like to thank Admiral Timme I urge my colleagues to join me in sup- for his steadfast service to his country over his porting this bill. f illustrious 28-year career and wish him and his f family fair winds and following seas in his re- HONORING EMILY J.T. PEREZ tirement. DUTCH AMERICAN HERITAGE DAY f HON. ALBERT RUSSELL WYNN HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN GERALD W. HEANEY FEDERAL OF MARYLAND OF MARYLAND BUILDING AND UNITED STATES IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COURTHOUSE AND CUSTOM- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Wednesday, November 15, 2006 HOUSE Wednesday, November 15, 2006 Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, today, on Mr. WYNN. Mr. Speaker, on Saturday, Sep- HON. JAMES L. OBERSTAR Dutch American Heritage Day, I rise to recog- tember 23, I attended the funeral services for Army Second Lieutenant Emily J.T. Perez, an OF MINNESOTA nize the history of warm relations the Dutch outstanding young officer who gave her life in IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES and American people have shared for over 400 years and also to celebrate the many con- service to her country while patrolling near Wednesday, November 15, 2006 tributions of Dutch Americans to U.S. history. Najaf, in southern Iraq, on September 12th of Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in sup- Americans of Dutch descent include Theo- this year. port of a bill to name the Federal building and dore, Franklin, and Eleanor Roosevelt, whose Emily J.T. Perez was a 23-year-young United States Courthouse and Customhouse courage and strength helped lead the Amer- woman of great determination and distinction in Duluth, Minnesota, in honor of Judge Ger- ican people through difficult times in our Na- from Prince George’s County, Maryland, who ald W. Heaney. Judge Heaney was appointed tion’s past. Their ranks also include President rose to the top of her class at Oxon Hill High Judge of the United States Court of Appeals Martin Van Buren, Walt Whitman, and Thomas School. Seeing her tremendous potential, I for the 8th Circuit on November 3, 1966. After Edison—and Senator Arthur Vandenberg who had the honor of nominating her for an ap- 40 years of distinguished judicial service, helped shape U.S. foreign policy after World pointment to the United States Military Acad- Judge Heaney retired on August 31, 2006. War II. emy at West Point. Emily rose to the top of Judge Heaney was born on January 29, The Dutch were deeply involved in the ex- her class to become the first minority female 1918, in Goodhue, a rural community in the ploration of the New World and the settlement Command Sergeant in West Point’s history. southeastern part of Minnesota. As a child of the early colonies. In 1609, while searching With sadness I acknowledge her for another growing up in a farming community, Judge for an easy route to Asia, Captain Henry Hud- distinction; she is the first female graduate of Heaney learned the value of a close family, son discovered the river that bears his name. West Point to die in Iraq. Lt. Perez, a platoon honesty, and hard work. These qualities have Soon after, Dutch settlements began springing leader assigned to the 20th Support Battalion, marked not only his personal life but also his up throughout and beyond modern-day New 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, perished life as a public servant. He was educated at York State into what is now Connecticut, New when an improvised roadside device exploded the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Min- Jersey, Rhode Island, Delaware, and Pennsyl- underneath her Humvee. nesota, and received his law degree from the vania. Today, Americans of Dutch descent live Emily Perez was a young woman of many University of Minnesota in 1941. in concentrations in Michigan, California, Flor- talents, with a passion to serve others. Born in Gerry Heaney is a decorated World War II ida, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Washington, Texas, Heidelberg, Germany to a military family, she veteran. He was a member of the distin- Ohio, and Illinois. decided early on that she wanted to be a sol- guished Army Ranger Battalion and partici- The ties between the United States and the dier. Her family moved to Fort Washington, pated in the historic D-Day landing at Nor- Netherlands date back to the earliest days of Maryland, and Emily enrolled at Oxon Hill mandy. He was awarded the Silver Star for the Republic. It was the Dutch who first recog- High School and became Wing Commander of extraordinary bravery in the battle of La Pointe nized the United States of America and The the Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps. At du Hoc in Normandy, France. He also re- Hague was home to the first American em- Peace Baptist Church in the District of Colum- ceived a Bronze Star and five battle stars. bassy in the world. The American people will bia, she started an HIV–AIDS ministry to edu- At the end of the war, Judge Heaney re- not soon forget how on November 16, 1776, cate young people on the dangers of the life- turned home and entered private practice in as the American warship, Andrew Doria, en- threatening disease. She also volunteered with Duluth. During that time he was instrumental tered the harbor of the Dutch island of St. the Red Cross at an HIV–AIDS peer education in improving the state education system, and Eustatius in the West Indies, the fort fired a center where she shared stories of those living served on the Board of Regents of the Univer- salute, recognizing the flag of the United with depression and the stigma of AIDS. sity of Minnesota. He was instrumental in States of America—the first of such acts by Emily was a sprinter. She ran the third leg helping the Duluth school system develop a any country. This salute heralded the begin- for the Army’s 400-meter relay team and ‘‘She VerDate Aug 31 2005 04:54 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00031 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A15NO8.111 E15NOPT1 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with REMARKS E2064 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks November 15, 2006 was the cream of the crop,’’ according to her SENATE COMMITTEE MEETINGS printing in the Extensions of Remarks former high school track coach Nathaniel Title IV of Senate Resolution 4, section of the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Laney.