[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 137 (Monday, December 6, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2148]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     IN HONOR OF POLLY E. HODGES ON THE OCCASION OF HER RETIREMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACK KINGSTON

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, December 6, 2004

  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Polly E. Hodges, who 
is retiring on January 7, 2005 from her post as Chief Financial Officer 
of the Congressional Budget Office. I would like to take this 
opportunity to thank her for her service to CBO and to the Congress.
  Polly was born and raised in Arkansas. She began her postsecondary 
studies at Hendrix College but obtained her bachelor's degree in 
accounting and business, cum laude, from San Antonio's Trinity 
University. Soon afterward, she earned the Certified Public Accountant 
designation and honed her professional skills at Tenneco, where she 
rose to the position of senior auditor. After a brief flirtation with 
the idea of medical school, she became chief accountant to Jacuzzi 
Brothers, Inc., and then joined CBO's staff on December 21, 1981.
  Polly began her career at CBO as Finance and Budget Officer and was 
later named its Chief Financial Officer. For 23 years, she has overseen 
the office's budgetary and financial affairs and provided sound 
financial counsel to each of its six Directors. Polly has played a 
major role in developing and executing CBO's annual budgets, working 
closely with its management and with staff of the House and Senate 
Appropriations Committees. Even during a period of tight budgets--not 
normally a situation relished by budget officers--Polly was proud to 
assist Appropriations Committee staff in crafting report language that 
proved useful in leading the legislative branch through potentially 
painful funding reductions.
  Polly's service to the Congress has extended beyond the confines of 
CBO--she was a founding member of the legislative branch's Financial 
Management Council and continues to provide that organization with 
thoughtful counsel.
  Throughout her years as a public servant, Polly's command of 
financial methods and management and her professional and personal 
integrity have enriched both CBO and the Congress. Thank you, Polly, 
for your dedication and service, and we wish you well in your 
retirement.

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