[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 75 (Tuesday, May 6, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S2772]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            MORNING BUSINESS

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                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                      TRIBUTE TO DENNIS STERNBERG

 Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, I rise today to honor Mr. Dennis 
Sternberg for his exceptional and transformative leadership as the 
executive director of the Arkansas Rural Water Association (ARWA) as he 
ends his successful career.
  Thanks to Mr. Sternberg's selfless service and steadfast advocacy for 
improved water infrastructure, Arkansas communities are better suited 
to provide safe and reliable drinking water.
  Over the past 22 years with Mr. Sternberg at the helm, ARWA has 
become Arkansas' largest water and wastewater utility membership 
association, with more than 600 utility members today.
  Mr. Sternberg prioritized daily educational trainings and assistance 
programs to support the State's utility operators. He was an active 
advocate for legislation advancing water and wastewater issues both at 
the State and Federal levels. With every occasion, Mr. Sternberg 
championed the development of systems in small and rural communities.
  During his tenure, Mr. Sternberg made numerous trips to Washington, 
DC, to testify on the behalf of Arkansas water infrastructure. His 
guidance and support were vital in the crafting and implementation of 
legislation such as the 2020 Water Resources and Development Act, Small 
and Rural Community Clean Water Technical Assistance Act, and America's 
Water Infrastructure Act of 2018.
  ARWA has remained an active affiliate of the National Rural Water 
Association (NRWA) and State Rural Water Associations. Under Mr. 
Sternberg's leadership, ARWA staff were always on the frontlines when 
natural disasters struck to meet the needs of residents and help 
restore water services in a timely manner.
  ARWA works vigorously to meet two critical needs: to provide 
Arkansans with safe water sources by building cost-effective and 
modest-sized water systems and to help rural communities address new 
contaminants and overcome regulatory hurdles. These two goals were 
always the highest priority under the direction of Mr. Sternberg, and 
his vision ensured they were consistently attained.
  While Mr. Sternberg's time has come to close at ARWA, he has 
certainly left American water infrastructure better than he found it, 
and for that, we are all grateful.
  I congratulate Mr. Sternberg on his exceptional tenure at ARWA and 
thank him for the impact he has made to strengthen water sources across 
our State.
  I wish him the very best as he transitions into retirement.

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