[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 80 (Wednesday, May 11, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E484-E485]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING LAURA JOSS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JARED HUFFMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 11, 2022

  Mr. HUFFMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today, with Congresswoman Jackie 
Speier, in recognition of Laura Joss for her 32 years of exceptional 
government service with the National Park Service.
  Laura has a long history of working for the National Park Service 
(NPS), beginning as a volunteer at Mesa Verde National Park after 
earning a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from Indiana University and 
a Master of Arts in History Museum Studies from the State University of 
New York. Laura proceeded to serve as Superintendent at Arches National 
Park, Deputy Superintendent of the NPS Southeast Utah Group, 
Superintendent of both the Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic 
Shrine and the Hampton National Historic Site in Maryland, and Chief of 
the Branch of Cultural Resources and Tribal Liaison at Yellowstone 
National Park. Her commitment to the

[[Page E485]]

agency and the breadth of experience led her to the western region 
where she served as Deputy Regional Director/Chief of Staff for the NPS 
Intermountain Region in Lakewood, Colorado, the Associate Regional 
Director for Resource Stewardship and Research in the Intermountain 
Regional Office, and as Pacific West Regional Director in San 
Francisco.
  During her tenure as General Superintendent of Golden Gate National 
Recreation Area, Muir Woods National Monument, and Fort Point National 
Historic Site, Laura has been a tireless advocate for communities, 
underserved audiences, and staff. She successfully navigated the 
challenges of leading these popular units of the National Park Systems 
and did so during a pandemic. She hosted national and international 
visits by congressional staff, Washington officials, and international 
dignitaries, including the Italian President and delegations from 
Norway and the Ukraine studying the parks as a model for developing 
their own national park systems. Under Laura's direction, NPS also 
signed the first sister park agreement with the First Lady of Costa 
Rica to develop their Isla San Lucas National Park, a twin to the 
park's Alcatraz Island unit.
  In our personal experiences working with Laura, she has been a 
consummate professional, responsive to community issues, and conducted 
herself with a professional and diplomatic demeanor. Our national parks 
and communities have benefited from Laura's transparency, integrity, 
and deep commitment to the Golden Gate Recreation Area and extended 
national park system.
  Madam Speaker, we respectfully ask that you join us in expressing 
gratitude to Laura for her enduring commitment to public service and 
extending heartfelt congratulations on her more than three decades with 
the National Park Service.

                          ____________________