[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 5036]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 5036]]


    TRIBUTE TO CAPT. JOSEPH W. WARFIELD AND THE TEXAS STATE PILOTS' 
                              ASSOCIATION

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. GENE GREEN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 18, 1999

  Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Capt. Joe 
Warfield on his retirement as president of the Texas State Pilots' 
Association. The Texas State Pilots' Association is the professional 
organization that represents our State-licensed maritime pilots. These 
professional mariners navigate ocean-going ships safely to and from the 
many important commercial ports in Texas.
  I am proud that our State's largest port, the Port of Houston, is in 
my district. The Port of Houston is connected to the Gulf of Mexico by 
the 53-mile Houston Ship Channel. The Port of Houston is the busiest 
U.S. port in foreign tonnage, second in domestic tonnage and the 
world's eighth busiest U.S. port overall. More than 6,435 vessels 
navigate the Houston Ship Channel annually. It is largely because of 
the skill and viligance of professional state pilots such as Captain 
Warfield, that our vital waterborne commerce moves safely and 
efficiently through our state waterways.
  Captain Warfield, an active Houston Pilot, served as president of the 
Texas State Pilots' Association from 1994 to 1998. He had been vice 
president of the association the previous 4 years. Captain Warfield is 
a graduate of Texas A&M University and has over 20 years of experience 
with the Houston Pilots. He has held numerous leadership positions 
within his pilotage association, including three years as Presiding 
Officer. On the national level, Captain Warfield is active in the 
American Pilots' Association. He was an APA Trustee for the State of 
Texas from 1994 to 1998 and served as a member of the APA's Navigation 
and Technology Committee for several years.
  Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize the distinguished service to 
the Port of Houston and the State of Texas of Captain Joseph Warfield 
for his leadership and professional commitment to the safe dispatch of 
commerce on our waterways. We will miss his leadership, but we wish him 
well in his retirement.

                          ____________________