[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 135 (Friday, December 8, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2193-E2194]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  CONGRATULATING THE HONORABLE OTHA LEE BIGGS ON THE OCCASION OF HIS 
                               RETIREMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JO BONNER

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, December 8, 2006

  Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, it is with a tremendous amount of pride--and 
personal pleasure--that I rise today to honor one of the most 
outstanding public servants south Alabama has ever known, the Honorable 
Otha Lee Biggs, on the occasion of his retirement after serving his 
beloved Monroe County for over three decades.
  Mr. Speaker, it was just a few years ago that I stood on the House 
floor to recognize Judge Biggs for being honored by the Coosa-Alabama 
River Improvement Association as the recipient of the Dr. R.F. Henry 
Outstanding Service Award, the highest award this respected 
organization can give.
  For over three decades, Judge Biggs has been the leading advocate on 
behalf of the critical river system that runs throughout southwest 
Alabama and for the continued funding of necessary maintenance and 
dredging along this important artery of commerce.
  Without question--and I would suggest that perhaps without equal--
Judge Biggs deserves our eternal gratitude for a lifetime of public 
service. His dedication to the people of Monroe County is truly 
legendary.
  In 1961, Judge Biggs got his first taste of public service when he 
served as Clerk of the Monroe County Commission following the death of 
Mr. L.L. Hendrix, who had served in that capacity for a number of 
years. He served on the commission for ten years. Even as a young man 
in high school, Judge Biggs worked in both the County Commission and 
Probate offices. No one will ever serve Monroe County in the future, in 
either of these two important positions, who came to the job better 
trained or more experienced than Judge Biggs.
  On January 18, 1971, Judge Biggs took the oath of office as Probate 
Judge and Chairman of the County Commission for the first of what would 
turn out to be many consecutive six year terms. Immediately following 
his election to office in 1970, Judge Biggs, along with members of the 
County Commission, secured commitments from several large-scale 
corporations and businesses to build, relocate, and expand existing 
facilities in Monroe County, including Alabama River Pulp, FDR 
Plastics, Stayfast, Inc., Vanity Fair Intimates, and B & B Cabinet 
Doors, LLC.
  At the time--and as a direct result of his tireless work and 
tremendous leadership as well as the support from everyone else 
involved in the county's economic development programs--Monroe County 
led the entire state of Alabama in new job creation.
  In addition to Monroe County's economic life, Judge Biggs has also 
been instrumental in helping the area preserve and promote its strong 
literary and historic heritage.
  As the birthplace and home of such internationally known writers as 
Nelle Harper Lee, Truman Capote and Mark Childress, Monroe County has 
been firmly established as the ``Literary Capital of Alabama.''
  For his part, Judge Biggs has done yeoman's work to ensure this 
reputation extends beyond county and state lines to reach an 
international audience. Recent publicity has brought a significant 
increase in the number of tourists to the area.
  Judge Biggs was also instrumental in the creation of annual 
performances of the stage adaptation of Miss Lee's To Kill a 
Mockingbird. His work on behalf of the county museum and theater troupe 
has resulted in the production securing permission to perform on stage 
at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. and at festivals in Great 
Britain and Israel, as well as a host of other U.S. cities.
  Mr. Speaker, to list all of Judge Biggs' many accomplishments would 
take literally an entire volume of the Congressional Record unto 
itself. That said, no list of ``accomplishments'' would be complete 
without mentioning three key projects for which Judge Biggs deserves 
special commendation.
  First, he has played a lead role in developing the Monroe County 
Airport into a 6,000 foot runway which gives it the capability of 
landing almost any size corporate jet. More recently, he has advocated 
working with the FAA in formulating a long-range plan for airport 
growth and development.
  Second, Judge Biggs deserves considerable recognition for his efforts 
at saving the Old Monroe County Courthouse. Working with a committee 
established in the late 1980s, Judge Biggs oversaw the efforts to 
obtain state, federal, and private funds to restore this Alabama 
landmark to its new-found glory and home to a permanent exhibit of 
celebrated Monroe County authors.
  And third, no one in southwest Alabama has been more persistent--or 
more deserving of credit--for the four-laning of US. Highway 84 from 1-
65 westward to the Mississippi line than Judge Biggs. While Senator 
Sessions and I, along with Governor Bob Riley, have been pleased to 
play a small role in getting the initial funding to begin this massive 
project, the person who has worked over the past several decades to 
keep this a regional and state priority is none other than Judge Biggs.
  Judge Biggs served for many years on the board of trustees for the 
University of South Alabama and fought tirelessly for the interests of 
thousands of students, faculty members, and staff who have been 
involved in the life of that institution since its founding in the 
early

[[Page E2194]]

1960s. In addition, he has been an active member of the Monroeville 
Civitan Club, the Monroe County Cattleman's Association and the Monroe 
County Conservation Club, to name just a few of the other groups that 
have benefited from his leadership.
  Mr. Speaker, I have met few public servants as committed and 
dedicated to the well-being of their community as Judge Otha Lee Biggs.
  His tenacity and work ethic are matched only by his kindness and 
generosity. It goes without saying but I am proud and deeply honored to 
have developed a strong friendship with him, as did my predecessors, 
Congressman Jack Edwards and Sonny Callahan.
  Monroe County and, indeed, all of south Alabama have benefited 
greatly from his experience and wisdom. He is a true friend to many 
people, and it is a pleasure for me to ask my colleagues to join me in 
praising Judge Otha Lee Biggs for his accomplishments and extending 
thanks for his many efforts over the years on behalf of the citizens of 
the First Congressional District and the state of Alabama.

                          ____________________