[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 119 (Thursday, September 21, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1799]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MARS INCORPORATED PLANT IN WACO, TEXAS

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                           HON. CHET EDWARDS

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 21, 2006

  Mr. EDWARDS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the 30th anniversary 
of the Mars Incorporated manufacturing facility in Waco, Texas--an 
important institution in our community since its opening on September 
23, 1976.
  For decades, this facility has produced the Snickers' Bar 
and other Snickers' varieties for American consumers, and it 
is now the only facility in the country that produces 
Skittles' Bite Size Candy and Starburst' Fruit 
Chews. Roughly 700 people are employed at the Waco facility, many of 
whom have worked at this facility their entire careers. The loyalty of 
its associates is a testament to Mars' commitment to providing 
associates with an environment in which it is a pleasure to work.
  I have been proud to have a Mars facility in my district all these 
years. Approximately $30 million worth of Texas-grown peanuts are used 
in the Waco facility to produce Mars' popular snackfood products. In 
addition to the hundreds of jobs that this facility brings to our 
economy, Mars has also embraced its role in our community through 
numerous charitable contributions and community sponsorships.
  Mars has also been a pioneer in its industry for the installation of 
water-saving treatment facilities at some of its plants, and it has 
incorporated a Wetlands Wastewater Treatment Facility in its Waco 
facility which saves 3 to 5 million gallons of water each year. In 
Texas, where we've experienced severe drought in recent years, water 
conservation is increasingly important. I commend Mars for being a 
leader on this and other sustainability issues, and I encourage similar 
facilities in Texas to use the Mars model as an example of 
environmentally conscious production.
  Again, I congratulate Mars for reaching this 30-year milestone and 
hope that this facility will continue to be a member of our community 
for many more decades to come.

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