[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 61 (Wednesday, April 28, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E696-E697]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING MR. DEAN G. POPPS

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. STEVE KING

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 28, 2010

  Mr. KING of Iowa. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an 
outstanding public

[[Page E697]]

servant and proud Greek American, Mr. Dean G. Popps. Dean most recently 
served our Nation as Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army for 
Acquisition, Logistics and Technology, and on April 16, 2010, he 
stepped down from his position to return to civilian life. This brings 
to a close a 7-year tour in the Department of Defense that started with 
his volunteering for a 179-day rotation in Iraq as part of the 
Coalition Provisional Authority, where I first had the pleasure of 
meeting him.
  Since then, Dean has served our Nation under two Presidents, two 
Secretaries of Defense and three Deputy Secretaries of Defense in a 
variety of increasingly senior roles. His visionary approach to his 
most recent position brought sorely needed business acumen to the 
Army's bureaucratic acquisition process. By calling on his years of 
experience as a businessman and entrepreneur, he reinvigorated his 
staff, reshaped rigid business practices and advanced the Army's 
acquisition objectives. Through this work, Dean has made invaluable 
contributions to multiple aspects of Army operations in his years of 
service.
  Among Dean's many contributions to the Army and the Nation was his 
leadership role in the Army's modernization program, in which he 
successfully defended resources and secured funding for many projects 
that have strengthened the capabilities of our Armed Forces as they 
carry out missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere around the 
world. Dean also oversaw the Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund for 
three years, running what became the largest construction effort since 
the Marshall Plan. This project saw the completion of more than 3,400 
reconstruction projects that have had a profound impact on the 
restoration of key elements of the Iraqi infrastructure as the country 
rebuilds and establishes a democratic system.
  A committed leader in every position he has held, Dean effectively 
ran the U.S. Elimination of Chemical Weapons Program as well, which has 
become a model for achieving the safe destruction of stockpiled 
chemical weapons. By the end of his time at the program's helm, the 
program had successfully completed over 50 percent of our national goal 
to eliminate stockpiled chemical agents in accordance with the Chemical 
Weapons Convention, and it will continue to serve as an outstanding 
model for similar programs elsewhere in the world.
  Foremost in Dean's mind has always been a commitment to the welfare 
of each soldier serving our Nation, a concern that he has upheld 
throughout his tenure as he helped various projects overcome a myriad 
of obstacles. He has constantly held himself to exacting performance 
standards and his visionary leadership and unselfish commitment to duty 
are truly admirable. The Nation will miss Dean's service but I'm 
confident his wife Lise, sons Stephen, Jason, and George, and his 
daughter Christina, will be happy to have him back after his extended 
loan to the American people. I hope my colleagues will join me in 
wishing him well in all his future endeavors and hope that those who 
follow in his footsteps will continue his legacy of selfless dedication 
to our great Nation. Good luck and godspeed.

                          ____________________