[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 73 (Thursday, May 1, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S2735]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                       TRIBUTE TO DR. SAM POLLES

 Mr. WICKER. Mr. President, on behalf of the people of 
Mississippi, I commend Dr. Sam Polles, a public servant who has worked 
tirelessly to benefit the State.
  A native of the delta, Dr. Polles is a lifelong learner. He graduated 
from Clarksdale High School and continued his education at Delta State 
College, as it was known then, earning a degree in premed and predental 
studies. He received both a masters and a doctorate at Mississippi 
State University. After graduating, Dr. Polles took roles in several 
organizations focused on agriculture and the outdoors. In 1992, his 
life's vocational calling came into focus. Dr. Polles began working at 
the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, and he 
went on to serve as the agency's executive director for 29 years.
  In his position, Dr. Polles touched the lives of almost every citizen 
across the Magnolia State. He made sure the Mississippi Department of 
Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks fulfilled its primary mission: to 
provide quality outdoor recreational opportunities for residents and 
out-of-state visitors. On a practical level, he implemented point-of-
sale systems for purchasing licenses, boat registrations, and 
reservations at park facilities.
  Dr. Polles is a family man. He spent over half a century married to 
the late Mary Margaret Humber Polles, and he is the father of three 
sons and the grandfather of seven grandsons. In his retirement, Dr. 
Polles has continued spending time outdoors with his sons and 
grandsons, enjoying his favorite outdoor activities, duck and turkey 
hunting. I join my fellow Mississippians in thanking Dr. Sam Polles for 
his service and for sharing his love of the outdoors with us 
all.

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