[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 71 (Thursday, May 1, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3694-S3695]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       RECOGNIZING BRYAN McDONALD

 Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I am pleased to recognize the 
service of one of my constituents, Mr. Bryan McDonald. Bryan has served 
the State of Mississippi and Governor Haley Barbour as director of the 
Governor's Office of Recovery and Renewal. In his final week as 
director, I thank him for his outstanding contribution to Mississippi's 
progress in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
  Prior to his appointment, Bryan worked with the Mississippi Emergency 
Management Agency as director of accounting Oversight, where he helped 
provide assistance to governmental and nonprofit applicants under the 
Stafford Act. Bryan's extensive management experience as a CPA and 
auditor suited the State perfectly in our recovery efforts.
  Bryan established a team and a process which ensured FEMA public 
assistance dollars were accounted for and complied with Federal 
regulations. The system expedited reimbursements to State and local 
governments and resulted in over 99 percent of projects being obligated 
by FEMA. Considering the unprecedented magnitude of this disaster, this 
was truly a monumental task and one that had never before been 
undertaken.
  As director of the Office of Recovery and Renewal, Bryan again put 
the right people and processes in place to manage the Federal 
assistance entrusted to the State of Mississippi. Thousands of 
homeowners have received direct financial assistance through the 
homeowners assistance grant program; programs and policies have been 
implemented which will result in the development of low income housing 
units in excess of what was available before the storm, and Katrina 
affected cities and counties have received the much needed Federal 
resources to rebuild and revitalize their communities.
  Bryan has worked to ensure that every Federal taxpayer dollar 
entrusted to Mississippi has been and continues to be spent efficiently 
and appropriately. The State of Mississippi and this country owe Bryan 
a debt of gratitude for taking a leave of absence from his private 
sector career to serve our great State. As we know, public service can 
be a strain on our families both financially and emotionally. I want to 
thank Bryan's wife Michelle and his two children, Matt and Laura Beth, 
for their sacrifice and support while allowing Bryan to serve our 
State.

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  Bryan has reflected great credit on the State of Mississippi and I 
appreciate his service.

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