[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 95 (Tuesday, June 23, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1520]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING AMARJIT BUTTAR FOR HIS MANY YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE STATE OF 
                              CONNECTICUT

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOE COURTNEY

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 23, 2009

  Mr. COURTNEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to offer my congratulations 
and best wishes to Amarjit Buttar who is retiring after two decades of 
dedicated service to the state of Connecticut's Worker's Compensation 
Commission.
  Amarjit and his family first came to America in 1965 to attend law 
school at the University of Michigan. After getting his degree, he 
moved to Vernon, Connecticut more than three decades ago and has since 
been an active member of the community. Amarjit serves as a justice of 
the peace and is active in various local organizations. He has also 
served as president of the New England Sikh Study Circle and as 
Chairman of the World Sikh Council, America region.
  In 1995, he was appointed to serve on the Vernon Board of Education. 
Later that year, he was elected to serve a full four year term and was 
chosen as Chairman of Board of Education following his re-election in 
1999. At that time, he was one of the first Sikh-Americans elected to 
public office. He is a passionate advocate for strong public schools, 
since it made a huge difference in his own life and that of his 
children. He remains an active contributing member of the Board of 
Education, being reelected most recently in 2005. Amarjit has also been 
an active participant in local, state and national Democratic politics. 
Always present at local and state political conventions, Buttar was 
chosen to be a delegate at the Democratic National Convention in 
Boston, Massachusetts in July 2004.
  At the Workers' Compensation office, Amarjit provided technical and 
legal assistance to all who interact with that very complex system. 
Claimants, claimant family members, staff, attorneys, even the chairmen 
themselves all relied on Amarjit's accurate, compassionate and cheerful 
help to make the system work and achieve real justice for injured 
workers and the companies they worked for.
  Amarjit is also an avid fan of the University of Connecticut 
Basketball program. The father of two UConn graduates, Amarjit worked 
with State Representative Claire Janowski and other legislators to 
rename the stretch of Route 195 that leads to the UConn campus the 
``UConn Husky Way.''
  For those of us who know Amarjit and consider him a friend, we know 
that his retirement will not mean an end to his public service. I ask 
my colleagues to join with me and in congratulating him and wishing him 
well in his future endeavors.

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