[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 128 (Tuesday, September 28, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1983]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING JACKIE WAITLEY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BOB SCHAFFER

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 28, 1999

  Mr. SCHAFFER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Jackie Waitley of 
Iliff, CO, immediate past president of Colorado Cattle Women who 
recently was recognized for her leadership and hard work on behalf of 
the organization.
  Jackie, born in Boston, MA, is a true westerner. Growing up in a 
Denver suburb, she romanticized about living on a ranch riding and 
rodeoing. Meeting her husband Frank at Hastings College, both went to 
work for a short time as school teachers in Peetz, CO, but soon 
realized their shared dream of ranching and raising cattle and owning 
the Waitley Cattle Co. Today, the mother of four children and 
grandmother of five granddaughters, she says, ``The city girl has 
learned that it takes hard work, knowledge, skill, and cooperation from 
mother nature to operate a cattle ranch today.''
  Jackie understands America must count on rural areas, not dismiss 
them. Statistics confirm the importance of rural settings. Agriculture 
is still America's number one employer providing more jobs and 
paychecks than any other sector of the economy.
  Jackie recognizes that sound policy to offset the effects of 
Colorado's population boom should focus on Colorado's best stewards of 
the land--its farmers and ranchers. Besides supplying safe and 
inexpensive food for our tables, farmers and ranchers provide valuable 
open space and wildlife habitat.
  In fact, most of this nation's wildlife survives and thrives on 
private lands. To preserve these valuable assets we need to protect 
water and property rights and make it easier for farmers and ranchers 
to pass their land on to succeeding generations.
  While certain antiproperty rights groups fight for more regulation 
and government intervention, the future of agriculture depends on 
aggressive advocates like Jackie. Preserving farms and ranches is one 
effective way to mitigate Colorado's booming urbanization.
  Mr. Speaker, in closing, I agree with Jackie who is concerned for 
this nation's moral foundation. A nation launched by planters and 
preachers, America's founding strength was mustered and sustained by 
the moral character of rural people. Their values of hard work, 
honesty, integrity, self-reliance, and faith in God thrive in abundance 
today in the character of Jackie Waitley.

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