[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 130 (Monday, October 11, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1918-E1919]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   CRS SPECIALIST PAUL S. RUNDQUIST HONORED BY THE POLISH PARLIAMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN B. LARSON

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 8, 2004

  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I want to call the attention 
of my colleagues to the invaluable service and support we receive every 
day from the knowledge, experience, and hard work of the Congressional 
Research Service--CRS. This dedicated team of policy analysts, 
administrators, and support staff provides us with information services 
and policy analysis that is accurate, timely, and impeccably balanced 
and nonpartisan.
  The Congress, and this people's House, are not the only beneficiaries 
of CRS's expertise. At times over the years, we have authorized CRS to 
provide temporary support for the parliaments of several nations as 
they worked to join the ranks of the world's democracies. In the 1960s 
and 70s, Congress authorized exchange programs between CRS and the 
Japanese and German national legislatures that helped them establish 
professional parliamentary research departments that are the envy of 
their neighbors. More recently, in the early 1990s, as the dawn of 
freedom broke over the nations of Eastern Europe, the Speaker's Task 
Force on Parliamentary Reform in Eastern Europe provided invaluable 
expertise and perspective to the newly emerging free parliaments of 
these nations.
  Mr. Speaker, the seed was sown, and today we see the inspiring 
results, as Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, and other 
countries have joined the family of democratic nations. CRS provided 
vital assistance in this effort, and today, I am pleased to note that 
one of our own, CRS Specialist Paul S. Rundquist, has been honored by 
the Republic of Poland for his work with the Sejm (``SAYM''), the 
Polish Parliament: he has been awarded the Knight's Cross of the Order 
of Merit of the Republic of Poland.
  Mr. Speaker, when I was first appointed to the position of Ranking 
Minority Member of the House Administration Committee by Democratic 
Leader Pelosi, I called CRS for information about internal House 
operations and organization. Dr. Rundquist was the first person to 
respond, and he demonstrated why CRS is held in such high regard--he 
was prompt, thorough, and professional. Later, when I needed 
information on congressional continuity, Dr. Rundquist was again there 
with the needed research and information. I'm certainly glad Dr. 
Rundquist has remained a Congressional asset all these years, and I 
hope he stays on for many years to come.
  Dr. Rundquist is a son of Illinois; born in Chicago, he holds a 
Bachelor's degr from Loyola University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. from the 
University of Chicago. Appointed to the staff of CRS in 1974, he is a 
nationally renowned expert on legislative procedure, the structure, 
organization, and functions of the United States Congress, and 
congressional history. One of several CRS analysts assigned to assist 
the Speaker's Task Force from 1990 to 1994, Dr. Rundquist has continued 
to provide invaluable assistance to the members and staff of the Polish 
Parliament, while maintaining the full schedule of his duties at CRS.

[[Page E1919]]

He gave generously of his knowledge and perspective, providing 
information and analysis to the Sejm as it developed the institutions, 
policies, and procedures so necessary to a vital, democratic national 
legislature. During several missions to Poland, he advised on the 
establishment of parliamentary rules and procedures, committee 
structure and function, and support services to members, committees, 
and party organizations.
  In 1996, Dr. Rundquist was appointed a Fulbright Professor of 
Politics at Warsaw University, and also served as a visiting professor 
at the Jagiellonian University in Cracow. During the following two 
years, he lectured widely and continued to provide support and analysis 
for the Polish Parliament and its members, providing informal 
assistance to the Sejm as it drafted a new constitution, and even 
advice on the official translation of the new constitution into 
English.
  His service to the United States Congress has continued uninterrupted 
throughout this period. His recent projects and publications have 
included authoritative studies on guaranteeing the continuity of 
Congress, especially the House of Representatives, in the event of 
terrorist attacks, and ground-breaking analysis of the Senate power 
sharing agreement of 2001-2002.
  Accompanied by his wife, Ellen, and CRS colleagues and friends of 
many years, Dr. Rundquist was awarded the Order of Merit at a ceremony 
held at the Polish Embassy on September 29. 1 extend my sincere 
congratulations to this dedicated servant of Congress and the American 
people for his many distinguished accomplishments.

                          ____________________