[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 208 (Wednesday, December 20, 2017)]
[House]
[Page H10250]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  DISTRICT ATTORNEY BIVENS RETIREMENT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Tennessee (Mr. Kustoff) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. KUSTOFF of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a great 
west Tennesseean and a dear friend of mine, District Attorney General 
Phil Bivens.
  After more than 25 remarkable years, Phil Bivens is retiring from his 
post as district attorney general of Tennessee's 29th judicial 
district, which covers both Dyer and Lake Counties.
  Since 1992, Phil Bivens has been the consistent voice of law and 
order in his community. District Attorney General Bivens is a lifelong 
resident of Dyer County and a graduate of the University of Tennessee 
at Martin and the University of Memphis School of Law.
  Throughout his career as a prosecutor, District Attorney General 
Bivens has handled some incredibly important cases and has earned a 
reputation for being fair, honest, and by the book.
  In 2016, District Attorney General Bivens was elected to the 
executive committee for the Tennessee District Attorneys General 
Conference. Serving in this respected leadership role, he has advised 
the Tennessee General Assembly on issues related to the criminal 
justice system.
  When I was the United States Attorney for the Western District of 
Tennessee, I also served Dyer and Lake Counties, so we worked together 
very closely. We worked together to tackle dangerous crimes and drug 
crimes. Most recently, District Attorney General Bivens has been 
instrumental in combating the growing opioid crisis that is hurting 
west Tennessee and certainly the entire country. During our time 
together, I saw firsthand District Attorney General Bivens' strong work 
ethic and dedication to making west Tennessee a safer place. He is a 
true public servant.
  In addition to being known as a prosecutor, he is also the voice of 
the Dyersburg High School football team. District Attorney General 
Bivens spends Friday nights calling some of the most thrilling high 
school football games in the Nation.
  In summary, District Attorney General Bivens is a real west Tennessee 
legend. While he may soon no longer be our district attorney general, I 
know that he will never stop working to make his community a better 
place, just as he has his entire life. I will always be grateful for 
the time that we worked together.
  I wish Phil Bivens; his wife, Barbara; and their whole family the 
best as they begin their next exciting chapter.

                          ____________________