[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 2 (Friday, January 5, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E31]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO LARRY KING

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                           HON. BILL SHUSTER

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 5, 2007

  Mr. SHUSTER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a true 
giant in the transportation community and a dedicated servant of the 
citizens of Pennsylvania, Larry King. After more than 30 years of 
service, Mr. King will be retiring from Pennsylvania Department of 
Transportation (PennDot) later this month. While Larry's retirement is 
certainly well deserved and will provide him with more time to spend 
with his wife Betty and their family, all of Pennsylvania will feel the 
impact of his departure.
  Larry joined PennDot in 1969 and has served in a variety of positions 
with a special focus on planning and programming. In 1991, Mr. King was 
appointed to serve as Deputy Secretary of Planning. In that role, he 
was responsible for overseeing the statewide planning process, 
maintaining the Commonwealth's 12 year plan and the management the 
state's highway and bridge program which consist of a yearly budget of 
roughly $1.25 billion. Additionally, Larry was charged with the 
difficult task of ensuring that projects moved forward in a timely and 
cost efficient manner.
  In his time at PennDot, Larry has been a tremendous resource for 
members of the Pennsylvania Congressional delegation. He never 
hesitated to share his expertise with Members or our staff. When 
Congress took up the historic Transportation Equity Act for the 21st 
Century (TEA-21), it was Larry's counsel that Members sought in their 
effort to ensure that Pennsylvania received its fair share of highway 
and transit funding. I think we all can agree that Pennsylvania 
certainly benefitted from his counsel. Larry not only possesses an 
intimate knowledge of the federal process, he also holds a true passion 
for improving transportation within the Commonwealth. Indeed, I remain 
convinced that there is not a road in Pennsylvania on which Larry King 
has not traveled.
  For more than 30 years, Larry has remained dedicated to serving the 
citizens of Pennsylvania and the Commonwealth has benefitted 
exponentially from his service. The numerous projects that have moved 
forward under his watchful eye will greatly benefit not only 
Pennsylvanians, but all who travel through the Commonwealth. While we 
all wish Larry all the best in his retirement, we must also let him 
know how much he will be missed. Thank you, Larry, for your many years 
of service and your friendship.




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