[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 122 (Thursday, August 6, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8967-S8968]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      IN PRAISE OF PEARLIE S. REED

  Mr. KAUFMAN. Mr. President, I rise once again to speak about one of 
our great Federal employees. Whenever I enter this Chamber, I cannot 
help but admire the inspirational works of art that adorn it. Above the 
main entrances rest marble reliefs depicting the three virtues of 
Courage, Wisdom, and Patriotism.
  Our Federal employees embody all three of these qualities, though my 
focus today will be on patriotism. The marble relief representing 
patriotism, which sits atop the lintel of the door to my right, shows a 
man setting aside his plow to take up the sword. This image recalls the 
parallel stories of Lucius Cincinnatus and George Washington, two 
farmer citizens who set aside their daily work in order to defend the 
people's liberty.
  In the history of democracy, the sword and plow have come to 
symbolize this dichotomy. Traditionally, the sword features most 
prominently as the metaphor for patriotism. However, I would argue that 
the plow is just as much a symbol of patriotism as the sword. The plow 
represents a citizen's daily contribution to society over the course of 
many years. The highlight of the Cincinnatus story, from which our 
revolutionary forebears drew inspiration, is that he returned without 
fanfare to his plow when the war was finished.

[[Page S8968]]

  The great statesman Adlai Stevenson once said:

       Patriotism is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion, but 
     the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime.

  I think it is fitting to speak about patriotism as symbolized by a 
plow, because the Federal employee I wish to recognize this week has 
worked in the Department of Agriculture for over 35 years. Pearlie Reed 
was raised on a farm in the rural town of Heth, AR, where he was the 
ninth of eighteen children. He worked hard to attend the State 
University of Pine Bluff, which was especially challenging for an 
African-American man in the South during the struggles of the Civil 
Rights movement.
  Nonetheless, Pearlie received his degree, and he joined the USDA in 
1968 as a student intern for the Soil Conservation Service. In the 
years that followed, Pearlie rose steadily in the Soil Conservation 
Service from an entry-level soil conservator to district 
conservationist, to deputy state conservationist, and he was eventually 
appointed as the state conservationist for Maryland in 1985. He served 
in that position for 4 years, after which he became the state 
conservationist for California.
  As his career advanced, Pearlie also received a master's degree in 
public administration from American University. The Soil and 
Conservation Service was eventually transformed into the Natural 
Resources Conservation Service or NRCS. From 1994 to 1998, Pearlie 
served as associate chief, and his last year on the job also served as 
Acting Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Administration.
  In 1998, Pearlie was promoted to chief of the NRCS, and he held the 
position until 2002 when he was named Regional Conservationist for the 
Western United States. In that role, Pearlie was in charge of all 
natural resource conservation efforts by the Federal Government in 10 
States and the Pacific Basin area.
  Pearlie has said that one of his proudest moments in his career came 
when he was asked to lead the Agriculture Department's task force on 
civil rights in the 1990s. He led a team that issued a report 
containing 37 recommendations on how to ensure that the Department is a 
welcoming place for minorities. Pearlie briefed President Clinton 
personally, and the President issued an order that all 37 of his 
recommendations be implemented.
  Pearlie retired from the USDA in 2003, but just this year Secretary 
Vilsack called him out of retirement and asked President Obama to 
appoint him as Assistant Secretary of Administration, the position he 
briefly held in an acting capacity 10 years ago. Pearlie was confirmed 
by the Senate on May 12, and he is now back at work for the farmers and 
ranchers of America.
  One of his former colleagues said once that:

       If you look up the term ``public service'' in the 
     dictionary, you'd likely see a picture of Pearlie Reed right 
     next to it.

  Over the course of his long career, Pearlie has received the 
Distinguished Presidential Rank Award, the George Washington Carver 
Public Service Hall of Fame Award, and the USDA's Civil Plow Honor 
Award, among others.
  Pearlie exemplifies the kind of patriotism Stevenson spoke about--the 
patriotism of steady work and perseverance represented by Cincinnatus's 
plow.
  I hope my colleagues will join me in honoring Pearlie Reed's 
distinguished service and that of all Federal employees working in 
agricultural development, resource conservation, and rural advancement.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Connecticut.

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