[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 106 (Friday, July 29, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1710-E1711]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               IN RECOGNITION OF MR. ALBERT CHARLES SMITH

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DIANA DeGETTE

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 28, 2005

  Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Albert 
Charles Smith of Denver, Colorado. Mr. Smith is retiring from the 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) after over 42 years of exemplary 
federal service.
  Often in our deliberations in the United States Congress over budget 
and policy issues of the Federal Government we neglect to recognize the 
contributions of the thousands of hard working federal employees who 
serve our Nation. In particular, I would like to highlight the 
contributions of the employees of the Environmental Protection Agency. 
Charged with protecting our environment and human health, the EPA is 
charged with protecting the air we breath, the water we drink, and the 
land and food we need for sustenance and our livelihoods. While it is 
easy and important to get caught up in human events, it is also vital 
that we revere our planet and its fragile environment. It is not often 
enough that we take the time to stop to thank and recognize the 
employees of the EPA for their unselfish and committed contribution to 
our nation and our environment.
  Mr. Alfred Charles Smith is one such federal public servant deserving 
of our attention. In the early 1950's, Mr. Smith served honorably as a 
corporal with the United States Army in Korea and Japan. He then went 
on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Bacteriology from Ohio State 
University, a Masters of Science in Chemistry from John Carrol 
University in Ohio, and a Juris Doctor degree from the Cleveland-
Marshall College of Law. His first federal agency position was with the 
U.S. Department of Interior from 1966 to 1970.
  When President Richard M. Nixon established the EPA, Mr. Smith was 
one of its original employees--first as a chemist in EPA's Chicago 
regional office, and later as a supervisory attorney and Regional 
Judicial Officer in EPA's Denver regional office. Most notable of his 
many awards and recognitions were the Agency's Gold Medal in 1975 for 
work in EPA's oil and hazardous materials spill response program; and 
in 1988, he was awarded EPA's Silver Medal for innovative use of 
Alternative Dispute Resolution in resolving a public water system's 
supply and health problems.
  Mr. Speaker it is my honor to recognize Mr. Smith and his commitment 
to our Nation and its natural resources. Mr. Smith's personal and 
professional contributions to the Environmental Protection Agency, to 
the Federal Government and to the people of the United States over the 
course of his varied and meritorious career have earned him great 
respect and appreciation from his friends and colleagues.
  We will all miss his knowledge, expertise and commitment to public 
service.

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