[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 57 (Tuesday, April 10, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E416]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING MS. GLORIA LYNN VALDEZ

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 10, 2018

  Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I rise today 
to honor Ms. Gloria Lynn Valdez of the Department of the Navy, who is 
retiring after more than 30 years of faithful service to or nation, 
culminating in her service as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the 
Navy for Ship Programs.
  Ms. Valdez has over 30 years of civilian service with the Department 
of the Navy. Recruited out of the University of New Mexico, she began 
her Navy career in 1986. Working her way up through the ranks and 
continually taking on more responsibility, she transitioned to the 
Naval Sea Systems Command headquarters in Washington, D.C., the Navy's 
largest command, and became a senior project engineer in the Fast 
Attack Submarine Program Office. In 1996, Ms. Valdez was competitively 
selected for the Commander's Development Program, a stepping stone to 
the Senior Executive Service.
  In 2000, Ms. Valdez was selected to serve as the Director, Naval and 
Commercial Construction, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, 
for Research, Development and Acquisition, where she had executive 
oversight of amphibious and auxiliary ship construction programs and 
overall shipbuilding industrial base matters. In 2002, Ms. Valdez was 
selected to lead the stand up of a new program office to convert 
strategic nuclear powered ballistic missile submarines to tactical 
guided missile submarines. She served as the Deputy Program Manager of 
that office and then became the Director of the Shipbuilding, 
Modernization and Sealift Branch, Office of the Assistant Secretary of 
the Navy, Financial Management and Comptroller where she was 
responsible for the management of all shipbuilding accounts.
  Ms. Valdez's exemplary performance and versatility was acknowledged 
with her selection to the Senior Executive Service in July 2009 as the 
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Budget Director in the Department 
of Homeland Security. She returned to the Navy in January 2010 as the 
Director of Investment and Development Division in the Office of the 
Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Financial Management and Comptroller. 
In January 2012, she became Executive Director, Program Executive 
Office for Submarines.
  Ms. Valdez is currently serving as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of 
the Navy for Ship Programs. She has executive oversight over an annual 
budget of $35 billion for all naval shipbuilding and ship weapons 
systems programs, major ship conversions, and the maintenance, 
modernization and disposal of in-service ships and submarines.
  Ms. Valdez is a great mentor and role model for Hispanics and women 
seeking positions in the Federal Government. In 2014, she was 
recognized at the Hispanic Engineers National Achievement Awards 
Conference (HENAAC) with the Pioneer Award. Representing her heritage, 
women, and the Navy for the opportunities it provides, Ms. Valdez was 
recognized for achievements as a dedicated public servant, senior 
leader, and engineer.
  Mr. Speaker, it is through the commitment and sacrifice of Americans 
like Gloria Valdez that our nation is able to strive for the betterment 
of mankind. I am proud, as a fellow New Mexican, to thank her and her 
family for her honorable service to our nation with the United States 
Navy. I wish her fair winds and following seas as she concludes a 
distinguished career of public service.

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