[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 35 (Friday, February 24, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E433-E434]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                        NATIONAL ENGINEERS WEEK

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                             HON. JOE SKEEN

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, February 24, 1995
  Mr. SKEEN. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to pay respect 
today to the 1.8 million engineers who work in the United States. 
Engineering is the Nation's second largest profession. And this week, 
February 19-25, we are marking their contributions by celebrating 
National Engineers Week.
  As an agriculture engineer myself, and as chairman of the House 
Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, I have particular respect for 
the work that is being done in the area of food engineering. The same 
professionals who introduced TV dinners to the American marketplace 
more than 40 years ago, and more recently, thrilled schoolgoing 
children with the invention of juice boxes for their brown bag lunches 
are now working to produce more environmentally friendly food 
packaging. Engineers understand America's concern with our quickly 
filling landfills and they are working to reduce the throwaway 
byproducts of food consumption.
  Food engineers can be credited with the invention of decaffeinated 
coffee, as well as microwavable food, freeze-dried foods, even 
dehydrated products. Most recently, they have developed a way to keep 
milk fresh longer, even at room temperature.
  Food engineers are also involved in cutting-edge technologies like 
genetic engineering to produce crops more resistent to pests or more 
durable for processing. And they are constantly working to improve 
established products by enhancing overall flavor, reducing 
manufacturing costs, improving nutrition, or making the packaging more 
recyclable.
  [[Page E434]] I'm intrigued about the future of our food products, 
knowing that so many hard-working, professional engineers are working 
to improve the food products we will consume in the next generation. 
Today, I join my colleagues in saluting the work of all engineers who 
work to improve the technologies that enhance the quality of our lives.


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