[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 63 (Wednesday, April 30, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E639]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    MISS INDIAN WORLD--TAYLOR THOMAS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MICHAEL K. SIMPSON

                                of idaho

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 30, 2014

  Mr. SIMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Ms. Taylor 
Thomas on her achievement of being crowned the 2014-2015 Miss Indian 
World. The competition was recently held at the University of New 
Mexico Arena in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where each contestant was 
judged on public speaking, personal interview, traditional 
representation, and dance/essay.
  Ms. Thomas resides in my congressional district at Fort Hall and is a 
member of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes. She qualified for the national 
competition by being named Miss Shoshone-Bannock Queen this past year. 
It is truly an honor for me to recognize Ms. Thomas for her national 
accomplishments and as a role model in the Fort Hall community. She 
will make an excellent representative of Native American culture 
throughout her tenure as Miss Indian World.
  Not only is Ms. Thomas a respected ambassador of the Fort Hall 
community, but she also attends Idaho State University, where she is 
majoring in political science. I have no doubt that her commitment to 
higher education played an important role in the competition, as her 
personal interview was the strongest of any competitor. Ms. Thomas has 
also been an advocate for Native Youth programs and indigenous language 
preservation, which are important components of Shoshone-Bannock 
culture.
  I wish Ms. Thomas well as she travels across the United States in her 
role as Miss Indian World. It is a great honor for the Fort Hall 
community, the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, and my congressional district 
to have such a talented young woman represent her community on a world 
stage.

                          ____________________