[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 156 (Thursday, December 2, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2045]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING THE OUTSTANDING PUBLIC SERVICE OF KATHY BECKER

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN S. TANNER

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, December 2, 2010

  Mr. TANNER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to tell you about a dear 
friend of mine who has served the House of Representatives longer than 
you, me and the vast majority of our colleagues.
  Kathy Becker's distinguished career on Capitol Hill spans more than 
40 years, during which she has made important contributions not only to 
the districts she has served but to our country and our international 
alliances.
  Kathy grew up near here in Federalsburg, Maryland, on the Eastern 
Shore and attended the University of Maryland and George Washington 
University before coming to Capitol Hill in May 1971. She worked almost 
four years for Congressman Frank Denholm of South Dakota and then--
fortunately, for us--came to the Tennessee delegation, where she has 
served much longer than any of us elected to represent Tennessee in 
this chamber. She worked for 3rd District Congresswoman Marilyn Lloyd 
for more than 4 years and then joined the 8th District team working for 
my predecessor, Congressman Ed Jones.
  When Betty Ann and I took office in 1989, we were very grateful that 
Kathy agreed to stay on the team as executive assistant, and she has 
been a loyal, dedicated staff member to us and an exceptional public 
servant to the people of west and middle Tennessee.
  Kathy has been on Capitol Hill for some of history's biggest moments. 
She has seen eight presidential administrations, including one 
president who was impeached and another who resigned to avoid the same. 
Kathy was here when the Vietnam War ended, the Berlin Wall came down 
and fundamental extremists attacked our country on September 11, 2001.
  One of the great honors I have had is representing the House of 
Representatives on the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, serving 6 years as 
chairman of the U.S. delegation to that body and 2 years as President 
of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. This opportunity has allowed us to 
help strengthen diplomatic ties with parliamentarians from our closest 
allies, relationships that had been strained in recent years.
  Our efforts there would not have been possible without Kathy's work 
staffing the U.S. delegation here and abroad. She has helped us stay in 
communication with our allies and the NATO Parliamentary Assembly team 
in Brussels; organized important sessions to help us get to know our 
fellow parliamentarians more closely; and ensured we are able to best 
represent our country and the House of Representatives on both sides of 
the Atlantic Ocean. Her commitment and hard work have helped our 
country continue rebuilding its reputation with our NATO allies, which 
is especially important to the men and women in uniform who are serving 
our nation around the world.
  In January, Kathy will retire from Federal service, and she can do so 
proudly, knowing that in a career that spanned more than 4 decades, she 
has been a part of history and has served our district and her country 
honorably. Madam Speaker, I ask that you and our colleagues join Betty 
Ann, our family and me in congratulating and thanking Kathy Becker for 
her unparalleled commitment to public service.

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