[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 173 (Wednesday, January 2, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2038]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING BENJAMIN BISSELL AS A RECIPIENT OF THE 2012 CRITICAL 
                          LANGUAGE SCHOLARSHIP

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. GERALD E. CONNOLLY

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, January 2, 2013

  Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Benjamin 
Bissell, of Fairfax Station, as a recipient of the 2012 State 
Department Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) and a participant in the 
CLS Russian program.
  The CLS Program, created in 2006 as a key component of the National 
Security Language Initiative, has had more than 3,350 participants who 
have acquired specific skill sets in business and language, as well as 
cultural perspectives unique to their experiences. The CLS Russian 
program covers approximately one academic year of university-level 
Russian study over an eight-week period. Mr. Bissell, a fourth year 
student at the University of Virginia, studied in Vladimir, Russia, for 
the entirety of the program.
  Mr. Bissell followed his passion for politics in demography and 
linguistics, specifically Russian, which led him to the program. With 
his admirable determination to learn more about the international 
impact of demography, and to enhance his cultural experiences and 
knowledge, he successfully completed the program and was awarded this 
outstanding scholarship.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Benjamin 
Bissell's achievements and wishing him continued success in his future 
academic and professional pursuits.

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