[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 40 (Wednesday, April 1, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E543]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                     TRIBUTE TO DAVID G. RICE, JR.

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BOB SCHAFFER

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 1, 1998

  Mr. SCHAFFER of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 
David G. Rice, Jr., a true friend of Colorado's agriculture industry, 
who recently passed away at the age of 81.
  Dave was born on his family's homestead in 1916, outside Grand 
Junction, Colorado. He studied animal husbandry at Colorado A&M, 
graduating in 1939. Dave then went to work in the Cooperative Extension 
offices of Elbert and Delta Counties for the next ten years, except for 
time he served in the military during World War II.
  In 1949, he started his 33-year-long career with the Colorado 
Cattlemen's Association (CCA) retiring as their executive vice 
president. Upon retirement, he became CCA's Vice President for 
Legislation and Federal Lands and, until very recently, remained 
actively involved lobbying on behalf of agriculture.
  For his service to agriculture, Dave received numerous awards 
throughout his career including the Federal Land Bank of Wichita's 50th 
Anniversary Medal, authorized by Congress and the President of the 
United States; CSU's Livestock Industry Award; and induction into the 
Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame. He was uniquely acknowledged by the 
55th Colorado General Assembly for 40 years of service to the industry 
in the form of a plaque dedicated and hung in the State Capitol, the 
only plaque hung in honor of a lobbyist. He has also been honored by 
various conservation organizations such as Ducks Unlimited and the 
Safari Club.
  The best accolades come, however, in the form of what people say 
about us. I believe Kirk Hanna, CCA's President, best summed up many 
folks' feelings when he recently said, ``Dave Rice is a legend in 
agriculture--though I doubt he would have admitted it. He was admired 
by many in both the political and agriculture arena not only for what 
he did, but for who he was--a man who cared about other people. His 
contributions to the state of Colorado and agriculture are sure to 
remain unsurpassed.'' Amen. I could not have said it better.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to pay tribute to this man whose knowledge 
and wisdom will be sorely missed by both the agricultural and 
legislative communities.

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