[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 38 (Wednesday, April 10, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E478]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING TONY J. SIRVELLO III

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KEN BENTSEN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 10, 2002

  Mr. BENTSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Tony Sirvello, 
Administrator of Elections, Office of the County Clerk, Harris County, 
TX, on the occasion of his retirement on June 30, 2002. He has been a 
fixture in the local electoral process for more than two decades and he 
will be missed.
  A native Houstonian, Tony Sirvello, graduated from St. Thomas High 
School in Houston, received his BA in Political Science and Law Degree 
from the University of Houston, and was admitted to the Bar in Texas in 
1973. He also served in the U.S. Army where he received a Medal for 
Meritorious Service. He has worked in the elections' division of the 
Harris County Clerk's Office since 1973 becoming Elections 
Administrator in 1980.
  In all that he has done, Tony has been a leader, organizer, and 
innovator. He will leave office just as the county implements his 
longstanding dream to replace the old voting system with a new 
computer-based system. The county's $25 million eSlate voting system, 
which combines small computer voting machines with high-tech optical 
scanners, will be used for early, mail-in, and Election Day voting in 
the November general election. Officials have been phasing in the new 
system since last year.
  Mr. Speaker, I congratulate my friend on his retirement and commend 
him on a job well done. I am pleased to join Tony Sirvello's family, 
friends and colleagues in honoring him for his accomplishments and his 
steadfast commitment to the citizens of Harris County. His dedication 
to public service and his professionalism are examples for us all. We 
owe him a debt of gratitude for the work he has done to execute the 
electoral process in Harris County and thus the essential function of 
our democracy.

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