[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 134 (Thursday, September 17, 2015)]
[House]
[Page H6090]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1230
                    HONORING DeLIGHT BREIDEGAM, JR.

  (Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my 
colleague Mr. Dent to thank and honor a Berks County innovator for his 
leadership and dedication to the community.
  Mr. Speaker, DeLight Breidegam, Jr., passed away last week at the age 
of 88. He was cofounder and chairman emeritus of East Penn 
Manufacturing. Under his leadership, East Penn grew to be Berks 
County's second largest employer.
  The company is nothing short of an American success story. East Penn 
began as a dream of the Breidegam family following World War II. 
DeLight frequently cited the shortage of batteries during the war as 
the spark to start the business. Along with his father, they soon 
started their battery business in a small, one-room creamery. Since 
then, the Breidegam family has been committed to producing batteries.
  I had the good fortune to meet with DeLight about a month ago. The 
value that he placed on his employees was palpable in speaking with 
him. I must say that it is a very, very special thing when you hear 
someone speak about their employees in the way that he spoke so 
lovingly of his, still calling and speaking with them every single day.
  He will be missed. He is a tremendous, tremendous asset, as is his 
company, to the Berks County community; and while we are sad for his 
passing, Mr. Dent and I wish to recognize him for all his great and 
positive accomplishments in the community.

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