[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Page 23375]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING WILLIAM A. KOCH

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I rise today to honor the late William A. 
Koch for his contributions to preserving the memory and legacy of 
President Abraham Lincoln's early life.
  Mr. Koch was a man of vision, integrity, and generosity. Born in 
Santa Claus, IN, Mr. Koch worked throughout his life to establish the 
Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial in order to secure a place to 
preserve the legacy of Lincoln's years in Indiana.
  William Koch headed the effort to incorporate the Nancy Hanks State 
Memorial into the National Park Service and led a campaign for the 
passage of a bill to establish the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial. 
Mr. Koch's efforts were so integral to the passage of the bill that he 
was invited to witness its signing by President Kennedy on February 19, 
1962.
  Today, visitors from across the country travel to Indiana where the 
Visitor Center and Living History Farm reveal the importance of 
Lincoln's Indiana years in his development from boyhood to the man he 
became. Without the dedication of William Koch, the preservation of 
Lincoln's early life would have been greatly diminished. Mr. Koch is 
survived by his wife Patricia Koch and his children, who now carry on 
his mission.
  I am grateful for the achievements of Mr. William A. Koch and his 
contributions to this Nation. Through his relentless dedication, Mr. 
Koch has helped preserve the legacy of President Abraham Lincoln for 
future generations.

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