[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 135 (Friday, December 8, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2215-E2216]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   PAYING TRIBUTE TO GEORGE ANN RICE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JON C. PORTER

                               of nevada

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, December 8, 2006

  Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my dear friend, Dr. 
George Ann Rice, for her outstanding service and continued 
contributions to our society.
  Dr. Rice has been an invaluable asset to the Las Vegas community 
throughout the years. Throughout her many years of service, she has 
committed herself to improving our schools as the Associate 
Superintendent of the Clark County School District. Her 
responsibilities included recruiting and selecting licensed teachers, 
administrators and support staff as well as securing changes in Nevada 
Law and Nevada Administrative Codes related to employment and licensure 
issues. Dr. Rice served on the Clark County School District Investment 
Committee for 15 years and as Executive Board Director to the Silver 
State

[[Page E2216]]

Schools Credit Union for 9 years. She has also judged regional and 
state debates for We The People, a national high school government 
competition promoting civic competence and responsibility.
  Dr. Rice received the Council of Great City Schools Annual Award for 
Distinguished Service in February of this year. She chairs the Nevada 
Governor's Commission on Educational Excellence, serves as a member of 
the Nevada Teacher Quality Task Force and as a member of the Workforce 
Housing Taskforce Subcommittee. She implemented the first national 
Board for Professional Teaching Standards effort in Nevada as well as 
created a special department of the Strategic Plan called Human 
Resources Development Department, which focuses upon pre-service 
development for teachers, administrators, and support staff as well as 
provides support and in-service development opportunities.
  Dr. Rice has also aided the U.S. House of Representatives in passing 
H.R. 2649, Schools Safely Acquiring Faculty Excellence Act, a bill 
which I sponsored that prohibits the Secretary of Education from making 
funds available to a State under any educational program unless the 
Secretary determines that the State has in place a criminal information 
sharing system. It aims to make public the identity of any individual 
in an educational setting who has been arrested, charged, or convicted 
of a felony involving violence, statutory rape, or any type of sexual 
abuse. Dr. Rice participated in a hearing held by the Subcommittee on 
21st Century Competitiveness under the Committee of House Education and 
the Workforce.
  Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to honor my friend, Dr. George Ann 
Rice, for her years of dedication and hard work. Her commitment and 
energy will be missed after her forthcoming retirement. I thank her for 
all her service and I wish her luck with all her future endeavors.

                          ____________________