[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 98 (Monday, June 18, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1325]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           RECOGNIZING THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF EDWARD MESSMER

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                          HON. JAMES P. MORAN

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 18, 2007

  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
accomplishment of Edward Messmer of Alexandria, Virginia for his 
service to the U.S. Department of State as Special Assistant to the 
Ambassador of Lebanon. In his official duties he was directly 
responsible for his efforts in providing fuel reserves into Lebanon 
during the 2006 conflict, which kept major power plants open, averting 
a health catastrophe.
  In July and August of 2006, the staff of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut 
found itself at the center of a major conflict when war broke out 
between Hizbollah fighters and Israeli forces. The embassy received a 
great deal of attention for its work to mitigate the damage inflicted 
by the war. None was more important than the work done by Mr. Messmer 
to help move vital fuel past blockades and into Lebanon, maintaining 
power across the country.
  Once the war began, a naval blockade was established around Lebanon 
to prevent the import of weapons, fuel and other support for the 
citizens of Lebanon. As a result, fuel stocks quickly plummeted at the 
country's three primary power plants. The plants were soon left with 
only a few days' worth of reserves. A continued interruption would have 
meant no water for essential services, hospitals and schools. Serving 
as the acting chief of the political section at the embassy, Mr. 
Messmer made it his personal mission to avert the developing crisis.
  Mr. Messmer had to address multiple logistical and political 
challenges to get fuel past the blockade. The ship owners who carried 
the fuel didn't want to risk running the naval blockade, the Israeli 
forces wanted assurances that the fuel stocks would not be diverted to 
Hizbollah. Additionally, funding for the fuel needed to be secured from 
the weakening government of Lebanon. For three straight weeks, Mr. 
Messmer coordinated, persuaded and guided all of these disparate 
parties to a solution. He was in constant contact with the Lebanese 
government, U.S. embassies in Cyprus and Israel, ship owners, insurers 
and various offices in the Pentagon and the State Department.
  Mr. Messmer's efforts paid off with the initial shipment of 56,000 
tons of fuel to the about-to-close power facility just north of Beirut. 
His hard work enabled the country's entire electrical grid to remain 
operational until additional deliveries were sent over the next several 
weeks. Not only did Mr. Messmer's work help avert a humanitarian 
crisis; it also took away a potential propaganda tool from Hizbollah, 
which could have blamed the fuel crisis on the United States and its 
allies. For his contribution, Mr. Messmer was nominated for the 
Partnership for Public Service's International Affairs Medal.
  Madam Speaker, I commend Mr. Messmer for his leadership, and I am 
proud to have him live in Virginia's 8th Congressional District and 
contributing to the greatest civil service in the world. I wish him all 
the best in his future endeavors.

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