[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 107 (Tuesday, July 5, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1031-E1032]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        RECOGNIZING KAREN J. LEE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. RODNEY DAVIS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 5, 2016

  Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize 
Ms. Karen J. Lee, a Community Programs Specialist with the United 
States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Karen retired on June 30, 
2016, after 33 years and 11 months of federal service.
  Karen started her federal career working for the Department of 
Defense from 1980 to 1992. In May of 1992, she began working as a 
Temporary Clerk Typist within the Rural Housing agency of USDA Rural 
Development. Later that year, she was converted to a permanent member 
of the Community and Business Programs staff. In December of 1993, she 
was promoted to State Loan Technician and in January 2002, further 
promoted to Community and Business Programs Specialist.

[[Page E1032]]

During 2005, she was assigned to her current position as Community 
Programs Specialist.
  Throughout her career, Karen assisted Illinois in processing loans 
and grants to rural communities and nonprofit organizations to improve 
and construct infrastructure projects. The projects she assisted on 
ranged from water and wastewater systems, public safety, and health and 
community services. She received numerous awards for outreach, 
marketing, and processing, and served on various national task forces 
which ultimately benefited residents in rural Illinois.
  I am proud to honor Karen for her work on behalf of the people of 
Illinois, and I wish her the best in her retirement.

                          ____________________