[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 144 (Thursday, November 3, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2252]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING ANTHONY PECONE AS HE RETIRES AS PENNSYLVANIA STATE DIRECTOR 
            OF THE U.S. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. PAUL E. KANJORSKI

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 2, 2005

  Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed 
colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to Anthony 
Pecone who is retiring as Pennsylvania State director of the U.S. 
Economic Development Administration following 39 years of service with 
the agency.
  Mr. Pecone has had a distinguished career and has guided the 
investment of nearly $2 billion in Federal funding throughout the 
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, which has had the effect of creating or 
retaining tens of thousands of jobs.
  Mr. Pecone came to the EDA after 11 years of working in the private 
sector, 2 years of service with the U.S. Army in Germany, 9 months with 
the Central Intelligence Agency and 16 months with the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration's Goddard Space Flight Center.
  As State director of the EDA, Mr. Pecone was an invaluable ally for 
local communities and economic development organizations, guiding them 
through the economic development process for planning, technical 
assistance, business loans, construction and special programs for 
assistance related to natural disasters, base closings and severe 
industrial dislocations or curtailments.
  Noteworthy Pennsylvania EDA investments achieved during his tenure 
include brownfield restorations, creation of a statewide revolving loan 
fund, base closing assistance, restoration of areas impacted by 
hurricanes and tornadoes, construction of several technology 
incubators, workforce development initiatives, construction of many 
industrial, business and commercial parks, initiatives to combat the 
effects of job losses in the coal and steel industries and construction 
of roads, sewage and water systems and bridges.
  More than 30 years have passed since I first met Tony during the 
aftermath of Hurricane Agnes, which devastated the Wilkes-Barre area in 
1972. His can-do spirit and practical approach to stimulating economic 
activity shaped my overall impression of the EDA and made me a life-
long fan of both Tony and his agency. Always courteous, Tony was also 
tough and fair in his determination of which projects were worthy of 
Federal funds. Every applicant seeking EDA funds learned to expect hard 
questions but also wise guidance as Tony worked to make sure that every 
EDA project was a successful project. Although few of them know his 
name or even the name of his agency, thousands of Pennsylvanians have 
jobs because of Tony's hard work. He will be missed.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Mr. Pecone upon the 
completion of a career that has helped so many people achieve a better 
quality of life. Mr. Pecone's singular dedication to improving 
communities deserves special recognition and I am pleased to be able to 
enter a tribute to him in the Congressional Record.

                          ____________________