[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 161 (Friday, October 3, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2246]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING ROBERT AND DONNA DEPRIEST

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JIM COOPER

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 3, 2008

  Mr. COOPER. Madam Speaker, I am honored to select Robert and Donna 
DePriest as the Fifth District of Tennessee's Angels in Adoption 
nominee this year.
  Robert and Donna, and their children, Matthew and Melissa--all of Old 
Hickory, Tennessee--have devoted almost 15 years of their lives to the 
love, care, and support of numerous children from Tennessee's foster 
care system. I greatly admire their service to help provide a home to 
some of the neediest children in our society.
  The DePriests stand out as foster parents because of their commitment 
to medically fragile children--many of whom had a very short life 
expectancy. The devotion and sacrifice this family has made to these 
special children has been truly above and beyond their call of duty. 
Due to the specific needs of these children, the family is often 
required to be specially trained in a variety of medical procedures. 
Though the level of care needed for these special children has 
frequently made it difficult for the DePreists to participate in family 
activities outside the home, they have still remained both willing and 
passionate about continuing to provide homes and care for many children 
in Tennessee.
  The DePriest family has adopted four of the children that they cared 
for over the years. These children are Zachary, 12, Angel, 5, Heaven, 
4, and Savannah, 2.
  I appreciate all that the DePriest family has done, and thank them 
for their service. I hope that the DePriest family will continue to 
love and care for Tennessee's children for many years to come.

                          ____________________