[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 92 (Tuesday, June 25, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H4006]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


         PATRICIA CLARK BOSTON AIR ROUTE TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER

  Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the 
rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1092) to designate the air route traffic 
control center located in Nashua, New Hampshire, as the ``Patricia 
Clark Boston Air Route Traffic Control Center''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1092

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF PATRICIA CLARK BOSTON AIR ROUTE 
                   TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER.

       (a) In General.--The air route traffic control center 
     located in Nashua, New Hampshire, and any successor air route 
     traffic control center at that location, shall be known and 
     designated as the ``Patricia Clark Boston Air Route Traffic 
     Control Center''.
       (b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
     air route traffic control center referred to in subsection 
     (a) shall be deemed to be a reference to the ``Patricia Clark 
     Boston Air Route Traffic Control Center''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Rodney Davis) and the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. 
Bustos) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.


                             General Leave

  Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent 
that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and 
extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on H.R. 1092.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time 
as I may consume.
  This bill honors the work and commitment of Mrs. Patricia Clark for 
her 60 years of Federal service.
  Mrs. Clark began working at Boston Center in Nashua, New Hampshire, 
in 1963 when it first opened, and has worked there ever since. In her 
years at Boston Center, Mrs. Clark has never taken annual or sick 
leave. According to her colleagues, Mrs. Clark's dedication to her job 
is as impressive as her length of service to the FAA.
  To recognize her dedication, Mrs. Clark's colleagues decided that it 
was appropriate to celebrate Boston Center's 50th anniversary by 
renaming it in her honor. The dedication and hard work of Federal 
employees like Mrs. Clark should not be overlooked. I voice my support 
and encourage my colleagues to support this bill, which recognizes the 
work of an exemplary Federal employee.
  I want to clarify that, while honoring Mrs. Clark, this bill does not 
require any funding for the renaming of the Boston Air Route Traffic 
Control Center.
  With that, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in strong support of H.R. 1092, to designate the air route 
traffic control center located in Nashua, New Hampshire, as the 
``Patricia Clark Boston Air Route Traffic Control Center.'' The 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure unanimously reported 
this bill by voice vote just last month.
  Mrs. Clark has worked at the Nashua center since it opened on March 
31, 1963, and she has provided more than 50 years of government 
service. Mrs. Clark does administrative work at the center, including 
payroll, mail processing, and travel arrangements, and she has not 
taken a single sick day in her long career. Mrs. Clark's managers and 
colleagues at the Federal Aviation Administration initiated the idea of 
naming the facility to honor her for her valued service.
  Mr. Speaker, this is an important bill, introduced by the gentlewoman 
from New Hampshire (Ms. Kuster) and other members of the New Hampshire 
delegation. This bill is a companion bill to S. 540, which passed the 
Senate by unanimous consent earlier this year.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 1092, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize 
and thank my colleague, the gentlewoman from New Hampshire (Ms. 
Kuster), for introducing this piece of legislation.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
New Hampshire (Ms. Kuster).
  Ms. KUSTER. Thank you, Mrs. Bustos, for yielding.
  I rise today in support of H.R. 1092, which is a bill that I 
introduced with Congresswoman Shea-Porter, to rename the air route 
traffic control center in Nashua, New Hampshire, after Patricia Clark, 
an exemplary Federal employee.
  I want to thank Senator Shaheen and Senator Ayotte for leading this 
legislation and ensuring its swift passage through the other body. I 
also thank Chairman Shuster, Ranking Member Rahall and their 
hardworking staffs for passing this bill through the Transportation and 
Infrastructure Committee and bringing it to the floor today.
  The Boston Air Route Traffic Control Center was built 50 years ago as 
part of a network of 20 centers that guide commercial air traffic in 
our Nation. The center is staffed by a dedicated team, which ensures 
the safety of our skies and of the aircraft that travel through them; 
but while much has changed in the 50 years since the center was opened, 
one thing has remained constant--Patty Clark.
  Patty started work at the Boston Center the day after it opened, and 
since that time she has been the gold standard for Federal employees. 
Patty does administrative work, including payroll, travel arrangements, 
and manning the phones, and as you've heard today, over these past 50 
years, she has never once taken a sick day.
  Patty is beloved by her colleagues for her dedication and her 
positive attitude. To quote one of her colleagues, she is simply the 
``cream of the crop.'' So, as the 50th anniversary of the Boston Center 
approached earlier this year, management and workers got together at 
the center and decided that the only way to appropriately mark this 
extraordinary milestone was to honor the woman who had been through it 
all.
  This is no cost, bipartisan legislation that will recognize the 
dedication of an incredible woman who has served our Nation for 50 
years. I urge my colleagues to join me and the entire New Hampshire 
congressional delegation in honoring Patty Clark by supporting H.R. 
1092.
  Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mrs. BUSTOS. I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I would like to personally 
thank Mrs. Clark for all her years of dedicated service. This is truly 
an honor--benefiting a Federal employee of her high caliber. I urge my 
colleagues to join me in supporting this important piece of 
legislation.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rodney Davis) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1092.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas 
and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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