[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 126 (Tuesday, October 1, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9708-S9709]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING FRED ABRAHAM

 Mr. DeWINE. Mr. President, I rise today to congratulate and 
honor an outstanding Ohioan, Fred Abraham, on his upcoming retirement. 
Fred is retiring from Ducks Unlimited, DU, where he has become widely 
recognized as the expert on wetlands restoration and protection. During 
his time at Ducks Unlimited, he has been an incredibly valuable 
resource to my staff and to me. We have relied on him for accurate 
information and clear advice on countless occasions.
  Fred has dedicated more than three decades of his life to the 
preservation and restoration of wetlands. Through his work at Ducks 
Unlimited, Fred has advocated on behalf of wetlands across the country, 
working on projects in Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and California. Today, 
thanks to Fred's tireless efforts, America's wetlands are in great 
shape and have ample resources.
  Fred was born in Canton, OH, and served time in the Air Force during 
the Korean War. He then returned to Ohio, where he worked in the steel 
mills and began a career marketing baked goods. His passion for 
conservation grew as he started organizing sportsmen's clubs throughout 
Ohio to voice their concerns on wildlife and conservation issues. Fred 
was one of the early advocates of fostering industrial responsibility 
as acid-mine runoff and other pollutants threatened wildlife and their 
habitat.
  He developed such a talent for conservation advocacy that he was 
recruited by the Ohio Division of Wildlife and took a position as a 
District Supervisor. While there, he helped resolve many of the 
challenging habitat and conservation issues facing Ohio in the 1970s 
and 1980s, and solidified his status as a leader on wetland and 
wildlife issues.
  Fred then went on to work for one of the most influential 
conservation organizations in the country, Ducks Unlimited. At DU, he 
built strong coalitions and made countless friends, advocating on 
behalf of sportsmen at the national level. After 16 years at DU, where 
he engaged in fundraising and grassroots advocacy, Fred came to 
Washington as DU's Director of Conservation Policy.
  Fred was the force behind some of the most important conservation 
legislation that has been signed into law. His accomplishments on 
behalf of the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, the Wetlands 
Reserve Program, and the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement 
Act have had a profound effect on wetlands, waterfowl, and wildlife 
across the country. Under his leadership and advocacy, the North 
American Wetlands Conservation Fund has increased dramatically, rising 
to $43,500,000 in 2002.
  I first met Fred several years ago on a trip to the Ottawa National 
Wildlife Refuge and Metzger March in Northwest Ohio. I immediately 
could sense his passion for wetlands and his motivation to preserve 
these areas for us now and for generations in the future. There is no 
question that Fred Abraham is ``the Man'' when it comes to wetlands. 
Both in Washington and around the country, he is widely recognized as 
the foremost advocate on wetland restoration.
  Everyone who has had the opportunity to work with Fred is proud to 
call him a friend. We admire his energy, enthusiasm, and commitment to 
the conservation cause. I am sure that he will spend his retirement 
enjoying some of the wetlands areas he has helped preserve, and I am 
confident that we will still hear his voice on many conservation 
issues. I ask my colleagues in the Senate to join me in congratulating 
Fred Abraham on his retirement and wish him the best of luck in the 
future.

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