[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 176 (Wednesday, November 14, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S14395]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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            RECOGNIZING THE STUDENT CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION

 Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, today I honor the 50th anniversary 
of the Student Conservation Association. Over these last five decades, 
the SCA has led the way in promoting the importance of conservation 
service and stewardship. Its staff and supporters have made an 
extraordinary commitment to instilling this ethic in our country's 
young people. While it is headquartered in my home State of New 
Hampshire, the SCA's reach and influence go far beyond the borders of 
New Hampshire. Since its founding in 1957 by Elizabeth C. Titus Putnam, 
nearly 50,000 SCA volunteers have worked to protect the critical 
natural habitats and threatened wildlife in our country's parks, 
forests, and urban green spaces. Its members can be found in all 50 
States, as well as Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Germany and Latvia. In 2006 
alone, 4,000 volunteers logged 1.6 million service hours at 511 
separate sites. In past years, they worked to restore the Everglades 
following the devastation Hurricane Hugo left behind and to repair the 
damage to Yellowstone National Park following the fires which damaged 
that park in 1988. This year, they were chosen to lead the Northwest 
Recovery at Mount Ranier and other parks in that region of the United 
States following the floods of 2006. It is, in fact, the largest 
conservation service program in the country.
  Those numbers and facts are impressive, but they do not fully convey 
the central role this organization plays in strengthening the quality 
of life in the United States. The thousands of volunteers and interns 
clearly have relished meeting the obligation we all have to protecting 
the vital natural areas in our country. Their unique dedication and 
enthusiasm have made them great role models and leaders. These 
qualities explain why such Federal agencies as the Bureau of Land 
Management, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and 
the U.S. Armed Forces all have partnered with the SCA and are the 
reason the White House, National Wildlife Federation, and the National 
Park Service have recognized the SCA's achievements.
  The prime architect behind the SCA is Elizabeth Titus Putnam, and I 
am especially pleased to honor her. It is a great reflection on her 
character that the vision she developed 50 years ago became a reality. 
Her energy and passion for environmental protection have touched 
countless people and demonstrate why the SCA continues to be an 
effective and vibrant organization.
  For these reasons, I am proud to be a member of the 50th Anniversary 
Honorary Committee. I hope all the alumni and current volunteers will 
long remember the deep impact they have made on communities from Maine 
to Hawaii and from Alaska to Florida. Happy Birthday to the Student 
Conservation Association and my best wishes for continued 
success.

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