[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 18]
[Senate]
[Pages 25823-25824]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                        FAREWELL TO TOM McILWAIN

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, before this session of the 106th Congress 
comes to an end, I'd like to take the time to say farewell to Tom 
McIlwain, who served on my staff this year as a fellow from the 
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). Prior to coming to my staff 
in March, he served as Fishery Administrator for the NMFS Southeast 
Fishery Center. Tom is a native of my hometown, Pascagoula, 
Mississippi. He understands the importance of oceans and fisheries 
issues to the Gulf Coast, and the Mississippi coast in particular.
  This is Tom's second stint as a fellow on my staff. Back when I was a 
member of the other chamber, and Tom worked for the State of 
Mississippi, he spent a year as a fellow on my staff advising me on 
oceans and fisheries matters. Tom is a longtime expert in this area. 
His advice and counsel was just as vital to me this year as it was back 
then.
  As a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation, I have participated in development and passage of a 
number of oceans and fisheries authorization bills during this session, 
and Tom has advised me on every one of them. This year alone, he 
assisted in the enactment into public law of the National Marine 
Sanctuaries Amendments Act of 2000, Fishermen's Protective Act 
Amendments of 1999, Yukon River Salmon Act of 1999, and the Fisheries 
Survey Vessel Authorization Act of 1999, and the Senate passage of the 
Pribilof Islands Transition Act, the Coastal Zone Management Act of 
2000,

[[Page 25824]]

Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Act of 2000, Shark Finning Prohibition Act, 
Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, and Marine Mammal Rescue 
Assistance Act of 1999. I expect several of the latter bills to be 
enacted this year.
  Tom also identified key funding shortfalls in NMFS and State of 
Mississippi programs for the Gulf of Mexico. His concern that Gulf of 
Mexico needs were being overlooked as NMFS funding was increased to 
address high-profile issues in other regions of the country led me to 
fight for additional funding for our region. The NMFS appropriation for 
Fiscal year 2001 includes an additional $8.25 million for red snapper 
research and $1 million to expand the NMFS Mississippi Laboratory at 
Pascagoula. I know he is pleased with that the State of Mississippi 
will receive much needed additional funding for coastal impact 
assistance, almost $28 million in Fiscal Year 2001. This vital piece of 
the Conservation and Reinvestment Act was authorized and funded this 
year.
  I wish Tom and his wife Janet all the best as they prepare for his 
next assignment within NMFS. I know that whatever he does, he will 
bring to it the same keen insight, practical solutions, and good humor 
that has served him so well in the past.

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