[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 133 (Thursday, July 29, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S5173]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                        TRIBUTE TO RICK SHANKLIN

 Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, July 31, 2021, marks the retirement 
of Rick Shanklin, whose remarkable career with the National Weather 
Service spans several decades.
  Though Rick hails from a small farming community near Hopkinsville in 
Christian County, most of his career has been spent at the NWS office 
in Paducah, KY, where he was the warning coordination meteorologist.
  He has served at all three National Weather Service operations in 
Kentucky, has been a forecaster, worked with countless tornado drills 
and national assessment teams, and pursued his passion for operational 
readiness and public severe weather preparedness, earning many honors 
along the way from the Department of Commerce, various Governors 
throughout the region, and the Commonwealth of Kentucky's Division of 
Emergency Management.
  Rick is also credited with championing the development of Kentucky's 
``Mesonet,'' a network of over 70 automated weather monitoring 
stations, hosted by Western Kentucky University, that is a model for 
other States.
  It turns out that Rick is something of a celebrity among those who 
share his passion for the science and technology of predicting and 
preparing for the very dynamic weather conditions of the Commonwealth. 
His fans, local leaders, and county emergency managers will miss his 
regular updates and his steady, thorough engagement during critical 
weather events.
  Most importantly, it would be difficult to calculate the lives saved 
and property losses mitigated by the work that Rick has performed 
during his career. I am proud to recognize him for his considerable 
contribution to the safety of Kentuckians and to families throughout 
the region.

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