[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 121 (Thursday, July 26, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1627]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        P.T. WRIGHT AND US-VISIT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MICHAEL T. McCAUL

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 26, 2007

  Mr. McCAUL of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize an 
extraordinary leader, public servant and person, Mr. Phlemon Thomas 
Wright, known to his friends as ``P.T.'' After 34 years of outstanding 
service to the American people, P.T., currently the acting deputy 
director of the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) US-VISIT 
program, is retiring from the Federal Government.
  P.T.'s retirement is a great loss to DHS. At the same time, his many 
years of dedicated service are a true testament to his commitment to 
protecting our country.
  His most recent work with the US-VISIT program has made this 
initiative one of the great successes in our efforts to strengthen 
American homeland security. It is now the world's most innovative and 
integrated biometrics-based program. This is in no small part due to 
leaders like Mr. Wright. Through his oversight and management of day-
to-day operations, the program remained focused on accomplishing its 
overall mission objectives and successfully deployed biometric 
screening capabilities to all U.S. air, sea and land border ports of 
entry.
  US-VISIT's operational success has depended in large part on the 
program's ability to educate international travelers. When the program 
began, there was great concern about the potential effects that this 
biometric screening would have on the flow of travel into our country. 
Now, because of the program's success and the outreach of leaders like 
P.T., many who were early critics are now ardent supports of the 
program.
  Mr. Wright understood that active engagement with border stakeholders 
was critical in creating a foundation of trust and familiarity upon 
which to build positive long-term relationships. He tirelessly traveled 
Southwest border communities, including many in the Lone Star State, to 
inform and educate border constituents as US-VISIT expanded to cover a 
wide array of border management developments and initiatives. P.T.'s 
in-depth knowledge of the land border environment made him a credible 
voice. His candor and conviction won him respect with border community 
leaders. And most importantly, P.T. gave border communities a voice in 
Washington as US-VISIT rolled out.
  In addition to his outreach efforts along our borders, P.T. has 
traveled across the world to demonstrate the advantages of biometrics 
as a powerful tool to improve the integrity of our immigration and 
border management system, to make us safer, and to facilitate 
legitimate travel and trade. Thanks to leaders like P.T., US-VISIT is 
on a path to continue to be a world leader in the innovative use of 
biometrics for identity management, transforming the world into a place 
in which legitimate international travel is convenient, predictable and 
secure, and frankly difficult, unpredictable and intimidating for those 
traveling for the wrong reasons.
  P.T. Wright began his career with the former U.S. Customs Service in 
1973, and he has served with distinction in a number of key positions 
at the Departments of the Treasury and Homeland Security. In his 
management roles with U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Dallas/Fort 
Worth, Texas; El Paso, Texas; Nogales, Arizona; and Washington, DC, 
P.T. was intricately involved in the development of customs policies 
for cargo examination and processing, drug interdiction and traveler 
processing.
  It is fitting that P.T.'s accomplishments and leadership were 
recognized last year with the prestigious Presidential Rank Award for 
Meritorious Executive for his extraordinary contributions to our 
Nation's welfare and security during his extensive U.S. border 
management career.
  Mr. Wright has done more than manage government operations 
successfully; he has become beloved by his colleagues within US-VISIT 
and throughout the Federal Government. His sincerity, infectious sense 
of humor, and leadership will be missed. He leaves some big, Texas-
sized shoes behind to be filled. I commend P.T for his commitment to 
excellence and his dedication to our country, and wish him the best in 
his future endeavors.

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