[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 7 (Thursday, January 21, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E58]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             CONGRESSWOMAN JAN MEYERS POST OFFICE BUILDING

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. TODD TIAHRT

                               of kansas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 20, 2010

  Mr. TIAHRT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to wholeheartedly support the 
naming of the United States Post Office Building located at 9727 
Antioch Road in Overland Park, Kansas, as the ``Congresswoman Jan 
Meyers Post Office Building.'' Congresswoman Meyers represented the 3rd 
District of Kansas in the United States House of Representatives from 
January 3, 1985 until January 3, 1997. I had the honor of serving with 
Mrs. Meyers in the 104th Congress, her last two years in Congress. It 
truly was an honor to learn from her. The state of Kansas is a better 
place for her tireless service.
  Born Janice Lenore Crilly on July 20, 1928 in Lincoln, Nebraska, Mrs. 
Meyers was raised in Superior, Nebraska. She attended William Woods 
College in Missouri and the University of Nebraska, earning an 
Associate Fine Arts degree and a B.A. in communications, respectively. 
She then married Louis ``Dutch'' Meyers in 1953, eventually having two 
children, Valerie and Philip.
  Jan Meyers became active in politics in 1966 on the campaign of 
Edward Lawrence ``Larry'' Winn, Jr. for the U.S. House of 
Representatives. She later went on to become a district co-chairwoman 
for Senator Bob Dole's first U.S. Senate campaign. Mrs. Meyers went 
into public service herself as a city councilwoman in the city of 
Overland Park, from 1967-1972. She left the city council in 1972 when 
she was elected to the State Senate. Congresswoman Meyers then served 
in the State Senate until her election to the United States House of 
Representatives in 1984.
  Congresswoman Meyers became the Chairwoman of the House Committee on 
Small Business in the 104th Congress, becoming just the 4th Republican 
woman to become the chair of a full committee. As a staunch fiscal 
conservative, she was dedicated to empowering the small business owners 
of America by introducing legislation to protect their interests and 
lower taxes to help them expand. Kansas is strong because of our small 
businesses and Congresswoman Meyers made them stronger. She believed 
that government works best when it facilitates, rather than restricts 
private business, as I do.
  Congresswoman Meyers did not run for reelection to the 105th Congress 
in order to spend more time with her family. She said ``There are other 
things in life I want to do, and being a Member of Congress, if you 
take the job seriously, simply does not leave time.''
  During her time in Congress, the Congresswoman was fond of saying 
``Listen to your conscience and your constituents--both. Most of the 
time they'll agree.'' This is truly the best way to represent your 
constituents and has been my goal during my time in this body.
  I would like to thank Jan Meyers for acting as a mentor to me in my 
freshman year and for her dedicated service to Kansas. This legislation 
is a fitting tribute to an honorable woman and a respected member of 
this distinguished body. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting 
this legislation.

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