[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 30 (Friday, February 13, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H1588]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1430
                          RECOGNIZING DALE OAK

  (Mr. OBEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, this is the last time that Dale Oak will be on 
this floor serving us as a member of the staff of the Appropriations 
Committee. He has been serving as the chief clerk for the Financial 
Services Subcommittee. He has served the Appropriations Committee in 
this House for 14 years, working for both the Republicans and 
Democrats, as has often been the tradition on the Appropriations 
Committee. He is leaving, and I simply want to thank him for the 
service he has given to the Committee and to the House, and wish him 
all the best in his new endeavor. He has been an incredibly hard 
worker, and we are all lucky to have public servants like him helping 
us.
  I yield to the gentleman from California.
  Mr. LEWIS of California. I very much appreciate our chairman 
yielding. I, too, want to express our deepest gratitude to Dale Oak and 
his family for the years and years of work and sacrifice they have put 
in on our behalf.
  As the chairman indicated, Dale has worked on both sides of the aisle 
in the front office, was very helpful to Bill Young, I know, and to 
myself, and now to David Obey.
  The people who really deserve our recognition and thanks, however, 
involve first and foremost Dale's wife, Janet, and their children, Eric 
and Anna.
  Thank you all for your great service. Godspeed.
  Mr. OBEY. I yield to the gentleman from New York.
  Mr. SERRANO. With the indulgence of the Members, I know we all want 
to leave and catch a plane or train, but I have been fortunate during 
the 2 years that I have been chairman of this committee to have Dale 
Oak as the committee clerk. And I want to wish him all the best and 
tell the Members that those individuals who work 24/7 into late at 
night are people like Dale Oak who make us look good and who serve the 
American people although their name and their work sometimes is not 
seen on a daily basis.
  And so I thank you, Dale, for your service to our country.

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