[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 120 (Tuesday, July 17, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1021-E1022]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             HONORING THE CAREER OF JOHN RUSSELL DEANE III

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BILL POSEY

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 17, 2018

  Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize the service of John 
Russell Deane III,

[[Page E1022]]

who has led a distinguished career in support of motorsports and the 
automotive performance industry.
  Mr. Speaker, I had the pleasure of getting to know Russ over the 
years through my service in the Florida State Legislature and a shared 
interest in racing.
  Russ is an accomplished race car driver, but I stand here today to 
highlight his years of service as general counsel to the Specialty 
Equipment Market Association (SEMA), the National Hot Rod Association 
(NHRA), and many other race sanctioning bodies, which benefited 
Americans like me who are passionate about cars, racing and protecting 
our rights as enthusiasts.
  While enrolled at Georgetown University Law Center, Russ started his 
career working as an aide to U.S. Representative Clark MacGregor (R-MN) 
and then served in various positions in the Nixon administration, 
including as a White House aide. In 1975, Russ left government to enter 
the private practice of law. It was there that he stood up for millions 
of automotive enthusiasts by helping shape federal and state laws and 
regulations to protect their hobby and the nation's automotive 
heritage.
  Russ is a leading expert on laws and regulations that apply to motor 
vehicles and equipment as practiced by the National Highway Traffic 
Safety Administration (NHTSA), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA), the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and other agencies. 
Russ worked closely with NHTSA, EPA and CARB as they established rules 
governing the installation of specialty automotive parts that customize 
and enhance vehicle performance.
  Russ played an instrumental role in implementing the Clean Air Act 
Amendments of 1977 and in crafting the 1990 revisions. Similarly, one 
of Russ' most enduring accomplishments was his role in developing the 
CARB Executive Order program to test and certify the emissions 
performance of specialty auto parts sold across the country. He also 
helped shape state inspection programs based on testing rather than the 
mere presence of aftermarket parts.
  Russ helped to establish the Congressional Automotive Performance and 
Motorsports Caucus, which held its inaugural events in 1996 over a two-
day period at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, on 
the National Mall, and in the halls of Congress. I am proud to have 
served as co-chair of this caucus since 2011, which now has over 65 
members in the U.S. House of Representatives.
  Beyond the automotive world, Russ has worked with the U.S. 
Government, the American Bar Association and many universities to help 
develop democracies in countries such as Estonia, Ukraine, Georgia and 
Afghanistan. The Government of Estonia awarded him the Order of the 
White Star, the highest civilian honor, for helping the country develop 
a market-based economy after the fall of the Soviet Union.
  Russ is a true Renaissance man, with interests and expertise in areas 
well outside the practice of law. He is a skilled yachtsman, pilot, 
diver, and connoisseur of fine wines and cigars. In his spare time, he 
also races sports cars and motorcycles. In 2012, he accomplished a 
longtime goal of setting an SRT-4 land speed record and being installed 
as a proud member of the Bonneville 200 MPH Club.
  I wish Russ Deane all the best in his retirement and thank him for 
his years of service to the automotive hobby and racing community.

                          ____________________