[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 176 (Wednesday, December 7, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1625]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO NORANNE DOWNS, P.E.

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOHN L. MICA

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 7, 2016

  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to rise today to recognize 
and honor Ms. Noranne Downs, P.E. as she marks 25 years of service with 
the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).
  After eleven years of public works experience with the City of 
Daytona Beach and in the private sector, Ms. Downs was hired by FDOT in 
September of 1991 as a project manager. Her talent and ability were 
recognized, and in October of 2006, Ms. Downs was named District Five 
Secretary.
  Soon after her joining FDOT 25 years ago, I was honored to be elected 
to the U.S. House of Representatives to represent Florida's Seventh 
Congressional District and assigned, at my request, to the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure. While we worked together prior to 
this, our shared focus of maintaining Central Florida's infrastructure 
and preparing our region for the future cemented our bond and our 
friendship.
  For over two decades, Noranne and I worked on the many transportation 
projects important to our community. Together we helped bring our 
region into the 21st Century and laid a solid foundation for Central 
Florida's infrastructure to thrive in the future. In addition to 
working to meet the Transportation requirements of one of America's 
fastest growing regions, I am extremely proud of our work together on 
projects such as SunRail which brought fixed commuter rail service to 
the region, the I-4 Ultimate and Beyond the Ultimate projects which 
will increase capacity and reimagine the main interstate roadway 
serving our area and updating our roadways and traffic management 
systems with the latest technologies to most effectively and 
efficiently manage traffic flows. Noranne played an integral role in 
these projects and so many more.
  It is with much appreciation and admiration that I recognize my 
friend and a great public servant, Noranne Downs at this milestone in 
her career. It is also with regret that Noranne will be retiring from 
her position at FDOT in January 2017. Her pivotal work has truly left 
an indelible mark on Central Florida and our State.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Noranne Downs for her 25 
years of service to our community and at FDOT, and in wishing her the 
best as she turns the page of her remarkable career.

                          ____________________