[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 26014]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         HONORING DON DeARMON ON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT

  Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take my 
Special Order at this time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from California?
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Roybal-Allard) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor a friend and trusted 
adviser, Donald McCamie DeArmon, on the occasion of his retirement from 
a distinguished career of 28 years of public service in the United 
States House of Representatives.

                              {time}  2015

  Don began his service on Capitol Hill following his graduation from 
the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1977. During those 
28 years, he worked for the Office of House Information Systems and six 
Members of Congress.
  Congressmembers Bill Ketchum, Barbara Mikulski, Les AuCoin, David 
Price, Vic Fazio, and I all had the good fortune to know and work with 
him.
  It was in 1999 that Don brought his wealth of experience and 
knowledge to my office, serving first as associate staff for 
appropriations and then as legislative director and currently as acting 
chief of staff.
  Don is a team player who has mentored many junior coworkers. His 
political sense and institutional knowledge of the House and his 
familiarity with the legislative process have provided my office with 
wise counsel.
  His many bipartisan and bicameral friendships built over years in the 
House have been invaluable to my work on the Committee on 
Appropriations. His knowledge of the numerous funding accounts has been 
key to my ability to serve my constituents better. In addition to his 
work on the Committee on Appropriations, Don has also been the lead 
staff person for my legislative health agenda. Through his stewardship, 
we have made progress in addressing the health crisis of underaged 
drinking and in reducing preventable birth defects through enhanced 
education of women on the importance of folic acid.
  Don's commitment to public service and his love of politics reached 
its natural conclusion when he ran for a seat in the U.S. House of 
Representatives. There is no doubt that during his campaigns Maryland 
voters were enriched by Don's discussions of the critical issues facing 
our Nation.
  Although his neighbors in Maryland were denied his direct 
representation, I can attest to the fact that his public service during 
the past 28 years has enriched their lives and the lives of many in our 
Nation.
  Don is a man who has admirably met the difficult challenge of 
balancing the demanding world of public service with being an involved, 
loving father and husband. He and his wife, Ann, a teacher, have raised 
four successful and politically active children. Belle, 23, is an 
English major at the University of Maryland, College Park. McCamie, 21, 
will be graduating in December from the University of Pittsburgh. 
Alexandra, 17, is a freshman at Wagner College; and John, 13, is an 8th 
grader at West Frederick Middle School.
  To Don and his family, I extend my deep appreciation and heartfelt 
congratulations on the momentous occasion of his retirement. We will 
miss him, his hard work, his wealth of knowledge of political history, 
and his wonderful anecdotes about his childhood in North Carolina, 
experiences on the Hill and life in Frederick, Maryland.
  Mr. Speaker, I join the many friends and colleagues who have had the 
privilege of working with Don in wishing him happiness and success as 
he embarks on his new career in the private sector. Don's new work, 
advocating on behalf of institutions of health, clearly demonstrates 
his commitment to the true public servant's belief that the people's 
work is never done. Godspeed, Don DeArmon.

                          ____________________