[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 67 (Wednesday, April 25, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E534-E535]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  TRIBUTE TO STATE REPRESENTATIVE KATHY RICHARDSON FOR HER SERVICE TO 
                                INDIANA

                                  _____
                                 

                          HON. SUSAN W. BROOKS

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 25, 2018

  Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
retirement of Kathy Richardson from the Indiana State House of 
Representatives after 25 years. For more than two decades, 
Representative Richardson served her constituents in Indiana's 29th 
district with distinction. On behalf of Indiana's Fifth District, we 
are forever grateful for her contributions to our community and the 
State of Indiana.
  Representative Kathy Richardson is a life-long Hoosier. Born and 
raised in Hamilton County, Kathy graduated from Noblesville High School 
in 1974. She began her career in public service working in the Hamilton 
County Clerk's office filing traffic tickets at the age of 19. She 
eventually worked her way up to Deputy Clerk, and was elected Hamilton 
County Clerk in 1982. In 1992, when few women ran for state offices, 
Richardson was successfully elected to the Indiana State House, 
representing the 29th district. Kathy continued to work with the 
Hamilton County Clerk's Office as the Election Administrator for 
Hamilton County. While serving as Indiana's 29th Representative, Kathy 
has continued her service with the Clerk's Office.
  A born leader, Kathy has stood out among her peers. During her time 
in the Indiana General Assembly, she served as an elected member of the 
House Republican leadership. Kathy broke barriers as Republican Caucus 
Chair, becoming the first woman in Indiana's history to serve in an 
elected caucus leadership. As Caucus Chair, Kathy guided members and 
staff in making legislative decisions, while spearheading caucus 
meetings. Kathy also served on the Elections and Apportionment and 
Legislative Council, where her years of experience and knowledge 
brought a high degree of leadership and success.
  Kathy's leadership created long lasting, positive change in the State 
of Indiana. During her tenure, Kathy partnered with Governors Mitch 
Daniels, Mike Pence, and Eric Holcomb to deliver balanced budgets, 
lower taxes, and bring jobs to the state. In 2011, Kathy was 
influential in drawing new redistricting maps for the Indiana House, 
Senate, and Congressional Districts to reflect the changes in Census 
data. As a prominent member of the House Elections Committee, Kathy was 
a crucial contributor to several of Indiana's election reform 
initiatives. Her guidance and no-nonsense leadership style throughout 
the process was instrumental in its passage. Kathy was influential in 
the creation of the Hamilton County Youth Assistance program in 
Westfield, which works with youth who are at risk prior to entering the 
courts system. Due to her leadership, and the program's success, it is 
now being replicated in other communities around the State of Indiana.
  Kathy's lifetime of service to her community has been invaluable not 
only to her district but to the entire state of Indiana. Thanks to work 
on the economy and job creation, Indiana continues to be a great place 
to live and do business. Kathy's hard work and invaluable leadership 
helped make the Indiana General Assembly successful for so many years. 
On behalf of all Hoosiers, I wish to extend a heartfelt thank you to 
Representative Richardson for her lifetime of service. I wish the very 
best to Kathy, her husband Perry Williams as well as the rest of her 
family as she moves into the next phase of her career in public 
service.

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