[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 159 (Wednesday, October 28, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1557]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO DEBBIE WILLIS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MICHAEL K. SIMPSON

                                of idaho

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 28, 2015

  Mr. SIMPSON. Mr. Speaker, this December, the Army Corps of Engineers 
will see an exceptional employee retire after 32 years of exemplary 
service to our citizens, communities, agencies and military men and 
women that the Corps serves.
  Debbie Willis lived in Idaho from 1999 to 2009, serving as the 
Project Manager in charge of the Walla Walla District's Boise office. 
During that time, she represented the ``First and Best'' door to the 
Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District. Debbie always provided a 
``can-do'' attitude and worked tirelessly with her peers, local 
citizens, state and federal agencies, and private non-profits, to 
unlock remarkable solutions to difficult challenges that our 
communities faced in Idaho. In the words of one Idaho Mayor, she was 
our ``Superwoman.'' These sentiments are shared by the countless 
individuals Debbie worked alongside to solve problems during her time 
at the Corps.
  Debbie specialized with issues related to environmental improvements 
in urban and suburban flood-prone areas. She also worked with local 
communities to address the critical issues of water and wastewater 
infrastructure management and actively sought to involve community 
stakeholders in flood risk reduction and environmental habitat 
improvements along Idaho's valuable waterways and riparian areas.
  In 2005 and 2006 she earned the honor of being selected from the 
ranks of the Corps of Engineers to serve as a Congressional Fellow and 
as a member of the staff for the House Energy and Water Development 
Appropriations Subcommittee. On May 24, 2006, Chairman of the Energy 
and Water Appropriations Subcommittee Dave Hobson recognized Debbie on 
the floor of the House of Representatives for her invaluable assistance 
in crafting the Energy and Water appropriations bill for fiscal year 
2007.
  Throughout her years of service to our country, Debbie served the 
Corps of Engineers in Georgia, South Carolina, Washington and North 
Carolina. She holds a Civil Engineering degree from North Carolina 
State University and has utilized her education and experience to help 
plan, engineer, and manage the construction of many large and complex 
military and civil works projects throughout the country and most 
recently for the U.S. Army Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg.
  As a senior Corps project manager, she provided environmental 
restoration support to the Department of Energy at two of the Nation's 
largest nuclear facilities, the Hanford and Savannah River sites. 
Debbie also found time to use her expertise in a volunteer capacity by 
helping local communities in the southern U.S. assess and recover from 
damages caused by natural disasters. She traveled across the country 
and overseas, teaching management fundamentals and skills to Corps' 
employees and continues to be a mentor to many within the agency.
  Debbie's last assignment has been as a Senior Project Manager for the 
Wilmington District, Corps of Engineers. Within that capacity, she has 
demonstrated extraordinary leadership and dedication supporting our 
service men and women at Fort Bragg. Over the past several years she 
has successfully managed the design and construction for both the Joint 
Special Operations Command (JSOC) and the Security Operations Training 
Facility (SOTF) at that base.
  Debbie's hard work and dedication to duty is a proud reflection of 
the Corp of Engineers and her support for our nation's military. Her 
performance awards serve as a testament to more than three decades of 
exceptional service and selfless dedication to this country. I 
congratulate Debbie Willis on her retirement and wish her and her 
husband Brayton well in future endeavors.

                          ____________________