[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 107 (Tuesday, July 5, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1023]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING JOAN M. FLANAGAN ON HER RETIREMENT FROM U.S. CITIZENSHIP & 
                          IMMIGRATION SERVICES

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BRIAN HIGGINS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 5, 2016

  Mr. HIGGINS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the remarkable Joan M. 
Flanagan on the occasion of her retirement after more than thirty years 
of accomplished and distinguished service with what was the Immigration 
and Naturalization Service (INS) and is now United States Citizenship 
and Immigration Services.
   Ms. Flanagan entered on duty on November 24, 1985 as a Mail and File 
Clerk in the Records unit at the INS Office then located at the Buffalo 
Federal Court House on Court Street. In June of 1987, she joined the 
Investigations Unit of INS as the Anti-Smuggling/Vehicle Seizure clerk 
where she participated in a pilot program to track data pertaining to 
vehicle seizures into the automated seizure/forfeiture system. That 
system was expanded when the data was entered into the Operation 
Activities Special Information System (OASIS) and rolled out to all 
Ports of Entry proving to be a very useful tool for the inspection 
program.
   In January of 1990, Joan Flanagan joined the Information/FOIA-PA 
Unit (Freedom of Information Act/Privacy Act), as an Information 
Officer for Buffalo. At that time, the Buffalo Information Officers 
also staffed INS Information offices in Rochester and Syracuse several 
days a week.
   In October 2002, Ms. Flanagan was promoted to Supervisory 
Information Officer. She was the leader of the Information employees of 
INS who answered sometimes extremely complicated questions from the 
public who appeared at the office in person. The Information Officers 
also answered phone inquiries, and reviewed and responded to those who 
had written letters to INS.
   In 2004 she served as a core member and subject matter expert in the 
area of Immigration Information on the Government's Team known as the 
``Most Efficient Organization Team'' during a Competitive Sourcing 
competition relating to all IIOs positions nationwide. At that time, 
the IIO positions nationwide were deemed commercial in the ``Fair 
Inventory'' and were placed in A-76 competition to allow private 
companies to compete for these positions. The Team goal was to prepare 
the most cost effective proposal that would allow the IIOs to remain as 
federal employees.
   As the subject matter expert, Ms. Flanagan conducted site visits to 
various offices to research and gather data to aid in the progress of 
new concepts. She helped streamline workloads and identify and 
implement the most cost effective measures during the development of 
the Government's competitive bid for the 1,300 IIO positions. This 
competition was cancelled in October 2004 prior to submission of final 
proposals after it was likely learned the work being done by the 
Information Officers was done as well as possible in terms of cost 
efficiency, accuracy and service to the public.
   In September 2007 Joan Flanagan was promoted to District 
Adjudications Officer, now called Immigration Service Officer II. In 
this position, now as part of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 
Service in the Department of Homeland Security, she interviewed 
applicants who had applied to become permanent residents of the United 
States and/or those who applied to become citizens of the United States 
through Naturalization. In January 2011 she was promoted to Supervisory 
Immigration Services Officer.
   In June of 2013 Joan Flanagan was promoted to Chief of Staff of 
District 2, the Buffalo District, in USCIS which oversees USCIS field 
offices in Albany, New York, Hartford Connecticut and St Albans, 
Vermont and a sub office in Syracuse, New York.
   While her dedication to country is well documented and her stellar 
reputation is well deserved, it is her love and loyalty to family and 
community that is also deserving of our deepest respect and 
recognition. The wife of William ``Bill'' Flanagan for 26 years, Joni 
is the very proud mother of the late Jeffrey Fuqua, Kristie (Daron) 
Moore, Karyn (Duane) Smith and Erin (Kyle) Kiminski. As a completely 
devoted grandmother to Marissa Stack, Nicholas Moore, Carolyn and 
Kameron Kiminski, Kaylee Reid and Madison Fuqua, there is no stopping 
her and Bill from cheering them all on at school programs and sporting 
events.
   The tragic loss of her beloved son, Technical Sergeant Jeffrey 
Fuqua, to PTSD following more than eleven years of active service in 
the US Air Force, including tours of Iraq and Afghanistan, compelled 
her and her daughters to action. This fierce trio of warriors moved 
with a sense of urgency to help other veterans and their families 
struggling with PTSD as they brought the community together to raise 
awareness and funds for WNY Heroes and Horizon Health Services-Freedom 
Village. She recently joined with her family in unveiling a bench in 
memory of her son at her grandchildren's school, Notre Dame Academy in 
South Buffalo.
   In sharing great joy as well, it is expected that Joni and Bill, a 
veteran and a retiree from federal service, will use this time to be 
together with family and visit the Magic Kingdom even more often.
   From an entry level position as a GS-3 clerk, Chief of Staff Joan 
Flanagan rose through the ranks holding three supervisory positions. 
Her influence is found in significant policies and programs for USINS 
and USCIS, she has advised and mentored scores of other employees, and 
became one of the key players in the Buffalo District, a district known 
for many years to demonstrate the absolute highest standards of 
accomplishment, dedication, and service in the federal government to 
the people of the United States.
   Throughout three decades of service, Joan became a reliable resource 
for information due to her expertise in a myriad of subjects. Joan's 
intelligence and compassionate personality have made her a truly valued 
individual and admired friend inside and outside of the office. Joan's 
dedication to her many positions throughout her career and incredible 
work ethic will leave her dearly missed.
   Mr. Speaker, I recognize and congratulate Joan M. Flanagan on her 
extensive service and remarkable achievements in both the Immigration & 
Naturalization Service and the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services. 
We join with her colleagues and many friends in wishing Joan, her 
husband and family good health and happiness as she brings her 
extraordinary career to a close and begins a new chapter in her life.

                          ____________________