[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 135 (Thursday, October 1, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1872]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  TRIBUTE TO COMMANDER JOSEPH A. SPATA

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                          HON. C.W. BILL YOUNG

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 1, 1998

  Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an 
outstanding Naval Officer, Commander Joseph A. Spata, who has served 
with distinction for the past 25 months for the Assistant Secretary of 
the Navy, Financial Management and Comptroller.
  It is a privilege for me to recognize his many outstanding 
achievements and commend him for the superb service he has provided to 
the Navy, the Congress, and our great Nation as a whole.
  As the Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on National 
Security, I want to thank Joe in particular for the tremendous 
assistance he has given me and my staff since August 1996. In his 
position as Deputy, Appropriations Matters Office, Joe has provided us 
with timely and accurate support regarding Navy plans, programs and 
budget decisions. These invaluable contributions have enabled our 
Subcommittee and the Department of the Navy to strengthen our close 
working relationship and to help ensure that we maintain the most 
modern, well trained and well equipped naval force attainable for the 
defense of our great nation.
  Mr. Speaker, as with so many of our men and women in uniform, Joe 
Spata and his wife Eileen have made many sacrifices during his naval 
career. As they embark once again on that greatest adventure of a 
Surface Warfare Officer's career, command at sea of U.S.S. Moosbrugger 
(DD 980), I would ask my colleagues to say thank you to Joe Spata for 
his yeoman's service in working with our Committee, to wish him every 
success as Commander, and to pray that he always have fair winds and 
following seas.




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