[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 17]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 23251]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            CONGRATULATING FORMER CONGRESSMAN JOSEPH HOEFFEL

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ALLYSON Y. SCHWARTZ

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 19, 2005

  Ms. SCHWARTZ of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, Joseph Hoeffel honorably 
represented Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional district for 6 years. 
And, on October 16, I proudly joined with area Democrats in naming Joe 
the ``Montgomery County Democrat of the Year.''
  As a lifelong resident of Montgomery County, Joe was elected in 1976 
to the first of four terms in the Pennsylvania State House, 
representing the Abington area until 1984, where he worked on budget 
and government reform, economic development and programs for seniors. 
In 1991, Joe was elected to the first of two terms as Montgomery County 
Commissioner where he fought for open space preservation, community 
revitalization and reforms of patronage and pay-to-play abuses in the 
courthouse.
  In 1996, Joe ran for the U.S. House of Representatives, challenging a 
freshman incumbent and losing by just 84 votes. However, he returned to 
the campaign trail in 1998 and was successful--earning the opportunity 
to represent the 13th district in the 106th, 107th, and 108th 
Congresses. Joe campaigned on a platform of creating jobs, bettering 
our public school system, expanding access to health care, balancing 
the Federal budget, and ensuring that we have a robust foreign policy.
  During his tenure, Joe fulfilled many campaign promises. He authored 
various pieces of legislation to better the 13th district and the 
Nation, including bills to create a veterans' cemetery at Valley Forge, 
to eliminate wasteful corporate welfare, to reform Federal support for 
public schools and to establish a patients' bill of rights.
  At home, Joe was a constant figure throughout the community. He was 
intimately involved in bringing a public health center to Norristown 
and establishing the Center for Sustainable Communities at Temple 
University-Ambler. Additionally, he secured Federal funds for the 
Schuylkill Valley Metro, Title I education, riverfront development in 
Norristown and Northeast Philadelphia, the Montgomery County Community 
College and the Abington Arts Center.
  From his seat on the International Relations Committee, Joe also 
advocated for the United States to play an active role in international 
efforts to bring peace to the Middle East and throughout the world.
  Joe's reputation as a hard-working legislator and an outspoken, 
progressive Democrat will not be forgotten. I know many of my 
colleagues continue to rely on Joe's guidance and advice and wish him 
well in his new endeavors.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of all of my colleagues here in Congress I 
again want to congratulate Joe Hoeffel on being recognized as 
Montgomery County's Democrat of the Year. Although his service in 
Congress has come to an end, I know Joe will continue to work on behalf 
of the people of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, and our Nation for 
many years to come.

                          ____________________