    [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 36 (Monday, February 24, 2025)]
    [House]
    [Page H733]
    From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

                        CONGRATULATING DAME KAREN PIERCE

      The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from
    Virginia (Mr. Beyer) for 5 minutes.
      Mr. BEYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Ambassador Dame
    Karen Pierce, who served nearly 5 years as the British Ambassador to
    the United States and was recently appointed as the United Kingdom's
    Special Envoy to the Western Balkans.
      During Ambassador Pierce's time in the United States, she happily
    embraced her role as the guardian of the special relationship between
    our two countries. During a time of increasingly strident partisanship,
    Ambassador Pierce was able to find allies across the political
    spectrum, receiving praise from all sides for her ability to bring
    people together.
      Ambassador Pierce has continued to play a key role in advocating for
    increasing economic engagement between our two nations--I look forward
    to a U.S.-U.K. free trade agreement--and she has demonstrated an
    unwavering commitment to global stability. Whether wrestling with
    security challenges, strengthening economic ties, or championing
    democratic values, Ambassador Pierce has exemplified the very best
    diplomacy leadership.
      Dame Pierce was indefatigable. It seemed she gathered people to her
    home in Washington every day and every evening for conversations about
    the most important matters on the globe. I think I saw more of Karen
    these last 5 years than I saw of my own family. She was everywhere, and
    she knew everybody, one of the most important skills of the most
    important diplomat from our most important ally.
      Ambassador Pierce's New Year's Eve celebrations will live long in
    Washington memory.
      Please join me in thanking Ambassador Pierce and wishing her the best
    on her next mission to the West Balkans. Her legacy of diplomacy will
    continue to inspire future generations.

              Zoning In on Service: Honoring Gerry Hyland's Legacy

      Mr. BEYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of
    Gerald W. ``Gerry'' Hyland, the true pillar of the Mount Vernon
    community who recently passed away.
      For 28 years, Gerry served as the Mount Vernon district supervisor,
    but he was no ordinary public servant. After getting his LLB from
    George Washington School of Law, he decided that was not taxing enough
    and proceeded to earn a master's of law in taxation from George
    Washington School of Law.
      Gerry was a man who wore many hats, from Air Force colonel to lawyer,
    but it was his role as a community leader where he truly found his
    calling. He may have been known as Mr. Pothole, but his impact on the
    community was anything but shallow.
      Gerry was known for his sharp legal mind, his dedication to public
    service, and his uncanny ability to solve problems. His office said
    that the supervisor never met a pun that he didn't like or a
    constituent he wouldn't try to help. You might say he had a real knack
    for zoning in on the issues that mattered most.
      Gerry always tried to include his constituents in every big decision.
    It seems Gerry knew the secret ingredient to community engagement, a
    healthy serving of Hyland sauce.
      As a master of puns, Hyland left a lasting impression with his humor.
    Before retiring in 2015, at his final board of supervisors meeting, he
    shared one last pun that perfectly encapsulated his wit: There once was
    a supervisor who told 10 puns to his colleagues to get them to laugh,
    but no pun in 10 did.

                              ____________________