[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 41 (Thursday, March 17, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E511-E512]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING MS. JANET M. BEDROSIAN FOR 38 YEARS OF SERVICE AT THE BUREAU 
                           OF LAND MANAGEMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 17, 2011

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition 
of the distinguished

[[Page E512]]

public service career of Ms. Janet M. Bedrosian. Ms. Bedrosian has 
honorably served the U.S. Bureau of Land Management for nearly 38 years 
and will retire on April 2, 2011.
  Ms. Bedrosian was born in Tennessee and moved to Grass Valley, 
California, as an infant, where she grew up in California's Mother Lode 
country and graduated from Nevada Union High School as class 
valedictorian.
  Ms. Bedrosian attended the University of Nevada-Reno, where she 
earned dual degrees in journalism and English. Ms. Bedrosian, currently 
the Deputy State Director, External Affairs at the BLM's California 
State Office, began her BLM career in 1973 at the Nevada State Office 
as its first public affairs staff member. She also worked in the 
Washington, D.C. office as Assistant Public Affairs Chief before 
returning to California to work in the state office as a public affairs 
specialist and congressional liaison. Ms. Bedrosian worked with 
California's 54-member Washington delegation, more than 120 full-time 
members of California's State legislature, and key State and local 
governments and their staffs. During this time, she built a robust and 
comprehensive congressional and legislative program that remains 
unequalled in the BLM's history. Her understanding of government 
processes and her ability to develop strong relationships have been 
crucial to many of the BLM's and Department of the Interior's 
successes, particularly in California.
  Issues for which Ms. Bedrosian played a key role include the 
coordination between elected officials, the Department of the Interior, 
the National Park Service, and the BLM that resulted in passage of the 
California Desert Protection Act--the largest piece of wilderness 
legislation in the contiguous United States ever to come before 
Congress.
  Ms. Bedrosian is well respected for her knowledge of land management 
and her ability to handle complex issues. Due to these attributes, a 
former BLM Director called upon her to act as the BLM's Chief of Staff 
in 2007.
  For her dedication, expertise, and service, Ms. Bedrosian has been 
honored with the two highest awards from the Department of the 
Interior--the Meritorious Service Award in 2007 and the Department's 
highest civilian honor, the Distinguished Service Award, presented to 
her in 2010. According to the Interior Department, ``Recipients of the 
Distinguished Service Award must have demonstrated extremely 
significant long-term contributions to Departmental programs and 
missions.'' These awards are signed by the Secretary of the Interior 
and have been presented since 1948. Ms. Bedrosian is recognized 
nationally as an expert, a leader, and among the best External Affairs 
managers the BLM has ever had.
  Outside the workplace, Ms. Bedrosian enjoys politics, travel, and 
making cookies. But mostly, she enjoys her family: husband Tod, son 
Sean, and daughter Kate; and her three sisters, brother, and father, 
all of whom live in the Sacramento area.
  Ms. Bedrosian's nearly four-decade career in public service deserves 
the highesi appreciation and commendation. I ask that my colleagues 
join me in congratulating Ms. Janet Bedrosian on a successful career 
and in wishing her happiness in her retirement.

                          ____________________