[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 120 (Thursday, September 12, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1309]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  IN RECOGNITION OF THE OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY AND NATIONAL SERVICE OF 
   AUSTIN J. BURKE, PRESIDENT OF THE GREATER SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA 
                          CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

                                  _____
                                 

                          HON. MATT CARTWRIGHT

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 12, 2013

  Mr. CARTWRIGHT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the career-
long community and national service of Austin Burke, who is retiring 
this year as President of the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce.
  Scranton, Pennsylvania in my district has been through a lot of 
changes since Austin Burke took the reins at the Chamber back in 1981. 
Mr. Burke helped lead the effort to transform Scranton's former 
industrial economy into a new economy that is better positioned to 
sustain jobs and growth throughout the 21st Century.
  Reclaiming and re-using thousands of acres of leftover mining land 
has been a major accomplishment of the Chamber under Austin's 
leadership. Putting that land into new business use has created 
thousands of jobs and fueled economic growth in greater Scranton. Mr. 
Burke also worked closely with federal and local officials to bring the 
Steamtown National Historic Site to downtown Scranton. This was a key 
step toward improving the city's image and bringing in tourists. If we 
can bring back passenger rail service for both tourists and commuters, 
the connection between Scranton's past and future will be even more 
complete.
  Austin Burke's counsel and ideas have been valued in both the 
Pennsylvania governor's office and the White House in Washington. He 
was a leader at the national level through his groundbreaking successes 
here in Scranton and his involvement with the U.S. Chamber on its 
nationwide initiatives.
  Austin served in the Air Force in his earlier years, and he has 
always brought a strong sense of commitment, loyalty and 
professionalism to his work at the Chamber. He is an easy guy to look 
up to. Everyone in Scranton is indebted to Austin Burke for his many 
years of community development work, and I wish him and his family the 
very best for his retirement.

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