[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 25 (Tuesday, February 11, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S2184]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                         TRIBUTE TO PAM BONRUD

 Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, the South Dakota Public Utilities 
Commission recently announced that Pam Bonrud will serve as the PUC's 
new executive director. I wish to congratulate Ms. Bonrud for her 
selection to lead the PUC and to formally thank her for her 10 years of 
service to the Lewis and Clark Rural Water System.
  During that time, Ms. Bonrud distinguished herself as an effective 
and dedicated leader. While with Lewis and Clark, Ms. Bonrud was 
instrumental in helping me and my colleagues secure the successful 
passage of legislation authorizing the project. Through her leadership, 
we were able to build a strong coalition supporting the project at the 
local, State and Federal levels within the States of South Dakota, 
Minnesota, and Iowa.
  Ms. Bonrud displayed all the qualities necessary to help make sure 
this critically important water project would receive Federal 
authorization. She was professional, persistent, and determined, and 
always had a positive attitude, even though the authorization process 
took 6 years from the time the first version of the legislation was 
introduced in 1994.
  I always enjoyed working with Ms. Bonrud, and she was able to work 
effectively with Senators and House Members of all three States 
involved and on both sides of the aisle. She has been one of South 
Dakota's best advocates and supporters of rural water development, and 
the entire southeast region of South Dakota, as well southwestern 
Minnesota and northwestern Iowa, will always be thankful for her 10 
years of hard work, dedication, and foresight to help bring this much 
needed drinking water project from the drawing board to construction.
  In fact, the Lewis and Clark System will be undertaking a 
groundbreaking ceremony this spring, and Ms. Bonrud is a major reason 
it will be the beginning of making this project a reality. She leaves 
the project in good stead and her leadership and fine character will be 
sorely missed.

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