[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 57 (Thursday, April 10, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E585]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     EXPRESSING APPRECIATION FOR JOE HILL'S SERVICE AND FRIENDSHIP

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN S. TANNER

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 10, 2008

  Mr. TANNER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Joe H. Hill, one 
of my oldest and dearest friends, a man whose 35 years of service to 
the 8th Congressional District of Tennessee has had a lasting impact on 
our area that will be felt for generations to come. Joe is retiring 
from Congressional service as the longest-serving district staff member 
in Tennessee history and has begun a new opportunity to continue his 
public service as a member of the Tennessee Board of Probation and 
Parole.
  Joe is originally from Henry County, Tennessee, and attended Bethel 
College in McKenzie, Tennessee. After that, he served four years as 
Project Director for the Northwest Tennessee Development District and, 
in 1973, came to work on the district staff of my predecessor, the late 
Congressman Ed Jones, Joe worked as a field representative and then 
district director for Congressman Jones until his retirement in 1989. I 
was fortunate both to have the honor of succeeding Congressman Jones in 
this chamber and to have Joe Hill remain on the 8th District staff as 
District Director.
  Over the 35 years Joe has served the 8th District, he worked very 
closely with an outstanding district staff that has helped thousands of 
Tennesseans who reach out for assistance with Social Security, Medicare 
and veterans' benefits. He has played an important role in the economic 
development of our area, working directly with every community in our 
district to upgrade the public infrastructure that rural towns like 
ours need to improve quality of life and create jobs.
  Joe has also been very active with local and state politics, having 
worked with practically every Democratic candidate in our area over the 
past 35 years. I have appreciated his guidance over the years and know 
that countless other elected leaders have also depended on his keen 
political sense in working with the public in West and Middle 
Tennessee. Among the candidates Joe advised are Vice President Al Gore 
and Governors Phil Bredesen and Ned McWherter.
  Joe and I have never worked as employer and employee but have instead 
maintained a working relationship more closely resembling a partnership 
and friendship. Betty Ann and I enjoy the time we get to spend with Joe 
and his wife Susan and their children, Adam and his wife Niketa, Judith 
and Travis. Fortunately, Joe is not going too far, and I know our 
families will have many more opportunities to spend time together in 
the future.
  Madam Speaker, at the end of the day, there is one main reason we 
come to serve in this body: to help the people we represent. It is with 
the assistance of such exceptional staff members as Joe Hill that we 
are able to achieve those goals. There are thousands of West and Middle 
Tennesseans whose lives have been touched by Joe's dedication to 
improving our area.
  I ask you and our colleagues to join me as I thank Joe for three-and-
a-half decades of service to the 8th District, express my gratitude for 
his long friendship and congratulate him as he enters a new phase of 
his public service.

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