[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 43 (Thursday, April 6, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S3208]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     RETIREMENT OF JOHN W. KEYS III

 Mr. SMITH. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize John W. 
Keys III, an extraordinary public servant who will be retiring on April 
15, 2006, as the Commissioner of Reclamation. John is a truly dedicated 
Federal official who has worked tirelessly throughout his career on 
behalf of the Bureau of Reclamation and the water users it serves.
  John has served as the Commissioner of Reclamation since July 2001. 
Prior to that, he spent 34 years as a career employee with the Bureau, 
starting as a civil and hydraulic engineer. He spent many years in my 
part of the country, serving as the Pacific-Northwest regional director 
for 12 years prior to his retirement in 1998.
  John's tenure as Commissioner coincided with the worst five years of 
drought in the past 5 centuries. John had to deal with growing, often 
conflicting, demands for water in the arid West. He initiated the Water 
2025 program to help States and water districts address these competing 
needs. He is a consensus builder who helped craft a historic agreement 
on the use of Colorado River water. Throughout his tenure, he made 
resolving water conflicts in the Klamath Basin, on the Oregon-
California border, a top priority for the Bureau.
  John is a commercial airline pilot and a white water enthusiast. He 
used to average about 300 flight hours a year, often flying for 
organizations like Angel Flight, Air LifeLine, and County Search and 
Rescue, based out of Moab, UT. He also used to officiate high school 
and college football games. It is my understanding that John intends to 
spend time with his family after he retires. John's wife Dell is a 
family practice physician and Airman Medical Examiner, and is also a 
pilot.
  While I wish John well as he returns to the family and the activities 
he loves, I want him to know that he will be missed. His leadership and 
his understanding of western water issues have been invaluable over 
these last 5 years.
  I wish John and his wife Dell well as they enjoy their family and 
their golden years.

                          ____________________