[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 14 (Thursday, February 14, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E149-E150]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     PAYING TRIBUTE TO DIANE PORTER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. SCOTT McINNIS

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 13, 2002

  Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to 
pay tribute to Diane Porter and thank her for her extraordinary 
contributions to her community and to her state. As a resident of 
Pueblo, Colorado, Diane has dedicated herself to helping her community 
by selflessly giving her time and energy to a number of philanthropic 
endeavors. The remarkable work she has done with the people in her 
community is surpassed only by the level of integrity and honesty with 
which she has conducted herself each and every day. It is with a great 
deal of satisfaction and pride

[[Page E150]]

that I pay tribute to her today for the tremendous accomplishment of 
being honored by the United States Justice Department for her 
significant contributions to her community and to her state.
  As Director of the YWCA, Diane has long been active in the Pueblo 
community and has dedicated a significant amount of her time and 
efforts to improving community relations and upholding civil rights. 
Recently, her tireless efforts and extraordinarily selfless endeavors 
culminated in the creation of the Pueblo Human Relations Commission, a 
15 member panel which will discuss divisive community issues, and a 
long-time dream of Diane's. Along with Sandy Gutierrez, Diane was 
responsible for the Commission's creation, which will undoubtedly serve 
as a catalyst for more open discussions on race related issues and 
other controversial issues facing the Pueblo community. Like all true 
pioneers, Diane had to overcome a great deal of opposition to see her 
dream come to fruition, and I commend her for her courage and 
persistence in the face of such opposition.
  Mr. Speaker, it is clear that Diane Porter is a woman of unparalleled 
dedication and commitment to her community and to the people whose 
lives she has touched while serving it. It is her unrelenting passion 
for each and every thing she does, as well as her spirit of honesty and 
integrity with which she has always conducted herself, that I wish to 
bring before this body of Congress. She is a remarkable woman who has 
achieved extraordinary things and enriched the lives of so many people. 
It is my privilege to extend to Diane my sincere congratulations on the 
creation of the Pueblo Human Relations Commission and for the 
tremendous accomplishment of being honored by the United States Justice 
Department for her efforts. I wish her the best of luck in all of her 
future endeavors.

                          ____________________