[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 24 (Wednesday, February 24, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E224]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         EXPRESSING APPRECIATION FOR REPRESENTATIVE DALE KILDEE

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. GARY C. PETERS

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 23, 2010

  Mr. PETERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise here today to honor Congressman Dale 
Kildee on the occasion of his twenty thousandth vote.
  Congressman Kildee has proudly represented Flint area residents in 
Michigan's State House, State Senate and U.S. Congress for over 46 
years.
  Only missing twenty seven votes during his thirty three years in 
Congress, with a large portion of those during a hospital stay, 
Congressman Kildee has been nicknamed the ``Cal Ripken of Congress''. 
His strong work ethic demonstrated in his exceptional voting record has 
also translated into many legislative victories.
  Throughout his career, Congressman Kildee has been a champion for 
children, from serving as a local high school teacher, to Chairman of 
the House Page Program, to working to establish child protection 
measures and additional development programs for children as a Member 
of Congress.
  As a senior member of the Education and Labor Committee, and as the 
Democratic Chairman of the Congressional Auto Caucus, Congressman 
Kildee has been a tireless supporter of auto workers in Michigan and 
around the nation, helping to establish worker retraining programs and 
new job opportunities. Through these efforts, Dale was able to 
establish a Job Corps Center in Flint to provide vocational and 
academic training for young people with the goal of helping them to 
improve their own quality of life.
  I am proud to serve alongside my good friend Dale Kildee, who has 
been a fighter for the people of Michigan; from his avid protection of 
our Great Lakes, to his support for worker protection laws and support 
of children's education. Dale has served as a mentor to me throughout 
my career in Michigan public office and I am proud to call him a 
friend, and happy to be able to congratulate him on the occasion of his 
20,000th vote here in the House of Representatives.

                          ____________________