[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 27 (Thursday, February 13, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E239]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 IN HONOR OF NELLIE POU, RECIPIENT OF THE HISPANIC AMERICAN GOOD SCOUT 
                                 AWARD

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROBERT MENENDEZ

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 13, 2003

  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Assemblywoman Nellie 
Pou of New Jersey who was honored on February 7th at the Hispanic 
American Good Scout Award Dinner at the Robert Treat Hotel in Newark, 
New Jersey.
  Currently deputy speaker of the New Jersey Legislature, Ms. Pou has 
led an impressive career and has quickly emerged as a leader in the New 
Jersey Assembly. She is the first woman and first Hispanic to represent 
the 35th Assembly District of New Jersey, and was named assistant 
minority leader after only three years in office. An active member of 
the legislature, Ms. Pou has authored a number of successful bills that 
reflect her commitment to health advocacy, child safety, and disabled 
and senior citizens. She has focused her efforts to improve education 
by reducing class-size and has secured funding to ensure the 
continuation of critical school programs across the state.
  Assemblywoman Pou played a leading role in ensuring the 2000 Census 
was accurately reported and that New Jersey would not be 
underrepresented in the amount of federal aid it received. She was also 
a strong advocate for redrawing the legislative districts to fairly 
represent census results.
  Ms. Pou holds an impressive record of service in government and 
working for the state of New Jersey. Before serving in the Assembly, 
Ms. Pou worked for more than 22 years in county and municipal 
government, and served as director of the Paterson Department of Human 
Services for 12 years.
  Since being elected to the Assembly in 1997, she has served on two 
critical committees, the Assembly Budget Committee and the Assembly 
Appropriations Committee, which together oversee the development of the 
annual state budget. Ms. Pou has also served on the Assembly Housing 
Committee and the Task Force on School Facilities Construction 
Oversight. She is a member of the Women's Democratic Caucus, the 
Assembly Advisory Council on Women, and the New Jersey Task Force on 
Child Abuse and Neglect.
  Currently serving her third term in office, Assemblywoman Pou is vice 
chair of the Assembly Appropriations Committee and a member of the 
Assembly Health and Human Services Committee, in addition to her 
appointment as deputy speaker.
  Assemblywoman Pou is the mother of two children, Edwin and Taina.
  Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Nellie Pou for her 
outstanding leadership and service to her district and the state of New 
Jersey.

                          ____________________