[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 163 (Tuesday, November 15, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6332-S6333]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO MARTIN HATFIELD

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I wish to congratulate a distinguished 
Kentuckian and accomplished attorney, Martin Hatfield. Mr. Hatfield 
recently received the honor of being selected as Pulaski County's 
``Attorney of the Year.''
  Mr. Hatfield, a native of Nancy, KY, graduated from Nancy High School 
in 1976. The importance of a good education was instilled in him from a 
young age by his parents who themselves were educators. There was no 
question Mr. Hatfield would continue his education after graduating 
high school, but he was not yet ready to leave home. When the Somerset 
Community College presented him with a scholarship to play basketball, 
Mr. Hatfield accepted, allowing him not only to stay close to home, but 
also to fulfill his dream of playing college basketball.
  Upon graduating from SCC, he decided to move on to Eastern Kentucky 
University. Mr. Hatfield, interested in pursuing a career in Federal 
law enforcement, began working as a dispatcher and deputy sheriff with 
the Pulaski County Sherriff's office. Watching the trials sparked his 
love for the legal side of the justice system and inspired him to apply 
to law school.
  Mr. Hatfield was accepted to the University of Louisville's Brandeis 
School of Law, from which he graduated in 1981 and returned to Pulaski 
County. He served as an assistant Commonwealth's attorney for Pulaski 
and Rockcastle Counties and then went on to serve as assistant U.S. 
attorney in the Eastern District of Kentucky for 16 years before 
running for the position of Pulaski County attorney.
  In an effort to give back to the community that had given so much to 
his family throughout his life, Mr. Hatfield ran for county attorney 
and has held the position since his election in 2010. He now also 
serves on the boards of many organizations, such as the Somerset-
Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce, the Fellowship of Christian 
Athletes, and the Governor's Kentucky Criminal Justice Council. 
Recently, he was appointed by Governor Matt Bevin as one of three 
county attorneys from across Kentucky to serve on the Attorney 
General's Prosecutors Advisory Council.
  This year, Martin Hatfield was chosen as Pulaski County's ``Attorney 
of the Year,'' and he attributes his success to the support of his 
family, the education and confidence boost provided to him by SCC, and 
the dedication of his staff. I want to congratulate Mr. Hatfield for 
his years of service as an attorney in Pulaski County. I am sure his 
wife and children are very proud of him, and Kentucky is glad to have 
benefitted from his work and service.
  An area publication, the Commonwealth Journal, recently published an 
article announcing Mr. Hatfield as county ``Attorney of the Year.'' I 
ask unanimous consent that the article be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

             [From the Commonwealth Journal, Sept. 6, 2016]

 Somerset Community College Alumni Spotlight: Pulaski County Attorney 
                            Martin Hatfield

       Although he now serves his home community in a high-profile 
     role, Pulaski County Attorney Martin Hatfield wasn't always a 
     fan of the limelight. In fact, the Nancy native and 
     basketball stand-out credits his time at Somerset Community 
     College (SCC) with helping him become more confident in 
     himself as a student and leader.
       Hatfield graduated from Nancy High School in 1976. His 
     parents, Avery and Lois Hatfield, always encouraged education 
     in their home.
       ``My parents were both educators,'' Hatfield said. ``My 
     sisters and I saw the value of having a good education 
     firsthand. High school was seen as a milestone in the 
     educational process, not the end.''
       Given that Hatfield was expected to continue his education 
     after high school, and had the opportunity to play college 
     basketball, his decision to attend Somerset Community College 
     was an easy one, he said.
       ``At 17, I wasn't ready to leave home,'' Hatfield said. 
     ``SCC was part of the University of Kentucky system and had a 
     basketball team. I was offered a scholarship to play there 
     and took the opportunity.''
       Most of Hatfield's memories and stories about his college 
     days at SCC revolved around his time on the court.
       ``Playing at SCC gave me the opportunity to fulfill a dream 
     of playing basketball in college,'' said Hatfield, who was 
     part of the last organized SCC basketball team. ``The 
     community really pitched in to support the program by feeding 
     us, giving us a place to practice and play, and by attending 
     the games.''
       After graduating from SCC, Hatfield chose to transfer to 
     Eastern Kentucky University. He wanted to go into federal law 
     enforcement, so he paid his dues by working as a dispatcher 
     and deputy sheriff with the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office 
     and watching trials. There, he developed a love for the legal 
     side of the justice system and was later accepted to the 
     University of Louisville School of Law, now known as the 
     Brandeis School of Law.
       Hatfield graduated from law school in 1981 and came back to 
     his home county to give back.
       ``I chose to come back home,'' Hatfield said. ``I knew I 
     wanted to marry and have a family someday and that I wanted 
     to raise my children here in Pulaski County. My wife (Debbie, 
     a kindergarten teacher at Pulaski Elementary) and I have done 
     just that. Pulaski County has been very good to my family 
     throughout the years, which is one reason I ran for County 
     Attorney . . . to give back to a community that has given so 
     much to me.''
       In addition to his service as County Attorney, a role he 
     has held since being elected in 2010, Hatfield also serves on 
     the boards of the Somerset-Pulaski County Chamber of 
     Commerce, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Governor's 
     Kentucky Criminal Justice Council, Kentucky County Attorneys 
     Association, Somerset Community College Foundation, and is 
     the Kentucky County Attorney's representative to the Kentucky 
     Supreme Court Criminal Rules Committee. He was also recently 
     appointed by Governor Matt Bevin as one of three county 
     attorneys from across Kentucky to serve on the Attorney 
     General's Prosecutors Advisory Council. He is a member of 
     Sievers Lodge #491 and First Baptist Church. Most recently, 
     Hatfield was recognized as Outstanding County Attorney at the 
     Kentucky Prosecutors Conference.

[[Page S6333]]

       Before becoming the Pulaski County Attorney, Hatfield 
     served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District 
     of Kentucky for 16 years. Prior to that, he served as an 
     Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney for Pulaski and Rockcastle 
     counties for almost five years.
       His path, he said, has been greatly influenced by his 
     family and education.
       ``SCC provided someone like me, who was a little shy and 
     backward, with the opportunity to not only learn, but to be 
     comfortable in a new environment,'' Hatfield said.
       Hatfield's sisters both attended SCC as well, he said, and 
     having the opportunity to know everyone from the college 
     president to his professors to his teammates, made a 
     difference.
       ``I grew so much during my time at SCC,'' Hatfield said. 
     ``My self-esteem was built through small classes and 
     professors who took a personal interest in me. When I left 
     SCC, I knew I could excel in a college environment.''
       Today, Hatfield stays connected to the college through his 
     service on the SCC Foundation board.
       ``This is a small community,'' he said. ``We all live here 
     and are invested in each other. I feel certain the education 
     I received at SCC played a big role in my success in life and 
     supporting our local educational opportunities only 
     strengthens our city and county for the next generation.''
       Spending his career in public service, Hatfield said, has 
     given him the opportunity to help set people up to achieve 
     and succeed, not fail.
       ``It all starts with good raising and good education, and I 
     was blessed to have both,'' Hatfield said. ``As County 
     Attorney, one of the things I try to do is to help people 
     understand what tools they need to change their lives and 
     become contributing members of their community. I firmly 
     believe education is one of the major tools necessary to 
     accomplish that.''

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