[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 27 (Monday, February 22, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S1742]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                     NOMINATION OF WAYNE O. BURKES

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, it is my great pleasure to see the Senate 
today approve the nomination of a fellow Mississippian, Wayne O. 
Burkes, to serve as a member of the Surface Transportation Board (STB). 
Wayne is qualified to serve because he brings a wealth of experience 
and a depth of character to the STB.
  Wayne Burkes comes to this position after serving as the 
Transportation Commissioner for the Central District of Mississippi for 
the past ten years. In this capacity, he supervised all modes of 
transportation in the state involving aviation, highways, public 
transit, and rail safety. Prior to that, he served for 14 years in the 
Mississippi Legislature as both a Senator and a Representative on the 
Highways and Transportation Committees.
  Mr. President, Wayne Burkes brings a real multimodal background to 
the STB. He is a thoughtful, introspective, humble, and mature public 
servant. Wayne knows who he is and this will help him be an effective 
STB Member. Significantly, his experience, education, and training 
extend beyond the world of transportation. He understands the economics 
of business from his experience as an insurance underwriter and serving 
on the Board of Trustees of the Mississippi Baptist Medical Center.
  Wayne Burkes answered our Nation's call to duty by serving in the Air 
Force and Mississippi's Air National Guard, including service in 
Vietnam. He rose to the rank of major general before retiring from the 
Air National Guard. His background includes over two decades as a 
pastor at his church, where he now serves as a deacon. He also 
volunteers his time and talents to assist the Boy Scouts of America.
  Mr. President, our Nation can count on Wayne Burkes to diligently and 
faithfully execute his duties as a member of the STB. He is the one of 
the most decent and honest men you could hope to find. We wish him well 
as he embarks on another public service mission.

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