[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 68 (Friday, May 26, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E993]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              PAYING TRIBUTE TO RONALD AND WANDA MARTINSON

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JON C. PORTER

                               of nevada

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 25, 2006

  Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Ronald and Wanda 
Martinson for their 25 years of marriage.
  Ron and Wanda are both from Minnesota and are career civil servants. 
Ron fIrst came to Washington in 1969 to work for Congressman John 
Blatnik of Minnesota, and subsequently went to work for a Congressman 
from Texas. After spending six years in the House of Representatives, 
Ron went to work for Marty Hoffman, the Sergeant of Arms for the 
Senate, as an Administrative Assistant for six years. Ron then accepted 
a position in the Executive Branch at United States General Services 
Administration (GSA). Toward the end of his service at GSA, Ron was 
detailed to Tom Davis, who was then Chairman of the Fairfax County 
Board of Supervisors, where he worked for three years. Following this 
detail, Ron retired. In 2003, after six years in retirement, Chairman 
Tom Davis of the House Government Reform Committee persuaded Ron to 
come out of retirement to be Staff Director for the Government Reform 
Subcommittee on Federal Workforce and Agency Organization.
  Wanda came to Washington in 1974 and worked as Supreme Court Justice 
Harry Blackmun's secretary for twenty-five years. Following her tenure 
at the Supreme Court, Wanda went to work at Immigration and 
Naturalization Service and Wanda now works for the Department of 
Justice.
  Wanda and Ron fIrst met at a bible study in Northern Virginia and 
began dating. Their courtship was not always ``smooth sailing''; in 
fact, the couple broke up two different times. In keeping with their 
dedication to civil service and love of the Washington, D.C. political 
culture, Ron proposed to Wanda in one of the House buildings one 
evening while returning from a political event Ron and Wanda were 
married on April 25, 1981 at the National Presbyterian Church in D.C. 
and their reception was held in the foyer of the Rayburn House Office 
Building.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor the marriage of Ronald and Wanda 
Martinson. Their twenty-fIve years together is both impressive and 
inspiring. I wish them many more years of happiness together. I now 
yield the remainder of my time.

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