[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 74 (Tuesday, June 14, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: June 14, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
               U.S. SENATE PRODUCTIVITY AWARDS RECOGNIZED

  Mr. REID. Madam President, from long before that April morn in 1777 
when the minutemen unfurled their flag at Concord and Lexington, this 
Nation has based its growth and survival on the willingness of her 
people to rise en masse whenever danger threatens. That the first 
pilgrims survived at all was due to their willingness to share; that 
spirit was epitomized in the first Thanksgiving.
  Now, Madam President, as then, we have so much for which to be 
grateful. Not the least of those blessings is the continued willingness 
of Americans to recognize problems, roll up their sleeves, and strive 
for a solution.
  In 1982, this body passed Senate Resolution 503 to establish the U.S. 
Senate Productivity Award. Its adoption was prompted by the drastic 
fall in U.S. economic productivity from its traditional high rate, and 
the fact that competing nations had higher economic productivity rates. 
Since then, several States have adopted this or similar programs--all 
toward the same end; they recognize organizations with outstanding 
quality and productivity initiatives as examples for improving our 
economic productivity and our position in global competition.
  Nevada's U.S. Senate Productivity Award Program began in 1988. Our 
awards recognize Nevada organizations whose management and operations 
have progressed to a leading level of quality and productivity. Such 
award programs take a tremendous amount of volunteer effort and donated 
funding to be run with integrity and to provide useful, critical 
feedback to the awards applicants.
  All of the States which administer such programs deserve our thanks 
for their hard work and leadership. Their efforts do indeed contribute 
to the continued competitiveness of the U.S. economy and to the renewed 
sense of pride our people have in their roles as working contributors 
to our society.
  Senator Bryan and I are particularly proud of Nevada's quality 
recognition program because our program is administered by volunteers. 
Today we want to recognize and thank two gentlemen who have provided 
outstanding leadership and undaunting commitment to Nevada's U.S. 
Senate Productivity Awards. During the last 2 years, Mr. Ted Atencio, 
vice president of Citibank (Nevada), and J. Robert Grant of E.G. & G. 
Energy Measurements, Inc., have not only managed the administration of 
this program, but have led major strides toward improvement and 
visibility of Nevada's program within the State.
  As just one example, under their guidance, the criteria used to 
evaluate organizations were upgraded and expanded. In 1993, the awards 
program incorporated the seven criteria used by the National Quality 
Awards Program, the Malcolm Baldrige award.
  Ted Atencio and Bob Grant have given freely of their time, often over 
20 hours a week, to lead the volunteers and create a solid foundation 
for Nevada's continuing quest for quality. On behalf of the U.S. Senate 
and over 60 other volunteers who worked under their fine leadership, we 
thank Ted Atencio and Bob Grant for their extraordinary volunteer 
efforts and commend them for the difference they have made in Nevada 
organizations' quality and competitiveness.
  Their commitment to voluntarism, a central theme of America's success 
story, exemplifies that which is and always has been best in our 
Nation. As long as our country has men and women of their stature and 
drive, we will stay the course and continue to walk that path of 
service first trod by the pilgrims over 300 years ago.

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