[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 138 (Thursday, November 13, 2014)]
[House]
[Page H7943]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          RECOGNIZING THE DISTINGUISHED CAREER OF JORDAN CLARK

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, when you are provided the 
privilege and honor of representing people from home and you come to 
Washington, the very first decision you make is probably one of the 
most important decisions, and that is who your chief of staff will be. 
Today, I am blessed to stand here to recognize a man who I think is 
among the best of the chiefs who has served any Member of Congress.
  I rise today to recognize the distinguished career of Jordan Clark, 
who has served as my chief of staff and is retiring from the House this 
month. Jordan is a man with a deep love of politics, public policy, and 
people, including his family and most especially his wife, Mary 
Therese, and their seven children.
  A one-of-a-kind personality and wit as sharp as his record of public 
service is long, Jordan will be dearly missed by friends and colleagues 
from Capitol Hill and beyond. It is these qualities, combined with a 
distinct sense of humor and an unmatched work ethic, that took a young 
boy from Pittston, Pennsylvania, to the halls of power in Washington. 
But it wasn't power that Jordan sought. It was public service.
  Before beginning his career in Washington, Jordan served in the 
United States Army. He served his commission after completing Infantry 
Officer Candidate School. Shortly following this, he was assigned to 
the Kennedy Center for Military Assistance at Fort Bragg, North 
Carolina, where he served in special warfare and psychological 
operations.
  After completing Active Duty, he served for 3 years as a captain and 
company commander in the Maryland National Guard.
  Following Jordan's service in uniform, he began a career in 
Washington with the United States Department of Labor, creating 
employment opportunities for veterans. Because of his efforts, he was 
assigned to the President's veterans commission to coordinate job 
programs between Federal agencies and the private sector, and was 
chosen by the Secretary of Labor to participate in the Department's 
career management program.
  Jordan later was hired as chief of staff to former United States 
Congressman Joseph McDade, at the time Pennsylvania's 10th 
Congressional District Representative and also a senior member of the 
House Committee on Appropriations. In the House, he also served as a 
staff member on the Government Operations and Small Business 
Committees, where he played an integral role in establishing the first 
White House Conference on Small Business.
  Following the OPEC oil embargoes, Jordan accepted a position in the 
Office of the Secretary of Energy and was responsible for the 
administration of the country's conservation and renewable energy 
programs. During this time, he helped develop the Department's 
Technology Transfer Program, promoting the sharing of research and 
information between the Federal Government, private sector 
institutions, and corporations. He was also the first Department of 
Energy official to visit Brazil to evaluate its ethanol programs and 
production.
  Following his time in the Energy Department, Jordan served as CEO of 
communitypath.com, a homeowner advocacy group and successor to the 
nonprofit United Homeowners Association, which he founded. Before 
founding the UHA, he was director of operations and assistant vice 
president for congressional relations for the 180,000-member National 
Association of Home Builders, where he created the Congressional 
Contact Program, an industry model for grassroots advocacy.
  Upon his return to Capitol Hill, Jordan served as chief of staff to 
Representative John E. Peterson, my predecessor, until Mr. Peterson's 
retirement in 2008. At the time, he also served as senior staff member 
on the House Appropriations Committee, during which he initiated and 
coordinated efforts to eliminate the 24-year-old congressional 
moratoria on oil and gas production in the U.S. Outer Continental 
Shelf.
  In 2009, I was first elected to represent Pennsylvania's Fifth 
District. Having worked with Jordan in various capacities over the 
years, I have come to respect his judgement and his work ethic. He is a 
man who is acutely aware of the needs and challenges facing our men and 
women in uniform. He is an expert in energy policy, which is 
fundamental to the history and economy of Pennsylvania's Fifth 
District, the birthplace of the oil industry in 1859 and today home to 
the emergent Marcellus Shale Natural Gas Play. He is someone with 
insight and understanding of the Fifth District, with its diverse 
geography, residents, and economy.
  Mr. Speaker, I could not have made a better choice for chief of 
staff. I know I speak for generations of close friends and colleagues 
when I say: Thank you, Jordan Clark, for decades of committed public 
service in pursuit of a stronger Nation. We wish you, Mary Therese, and 
your family the very best on the road ahead.

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