[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Page 120]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF L-3'S COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS-
                                  WEST

  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, today it is an honor and a privilege to 
rise and congratulate the men and women of L-3's Communication Systems-
West on the 50th anniversary of that company's arrival in Utah.
  I realize that many outside of the state of Utah might not have heard 
of L-3's Communication Systems-West, but no one can dispute the 
strategic advantages that this company has provided to our Nation's men 
and women in uniform. Much of the work that Communication Systems-West 
performs is of a highly classified nature. However, I can say that the 
real-time, world-wide dissemination of images and information gathered 
by the U-2 and our new unmanned aerial vehicles, such as Global Hawk 
and the Predator, is only possible because of the hard work by the 
people at Communication Systems-West. For example in 2001, 
Communication Systems-West was awarded the Collier Award for producing 
the airborne integrated communications system for the Global Hawk. As 
my colleagues may know, the Collier Trophy is the National Aeronautic 
Associations' highest honor for that year's greatest American 
aeronautical achievement.
  Other examples of Communication Systems-West outstanding work can be 
found in the SATCOM Tri-Band Satellite Earth Terminals and the ROVER 
III Remote Operations Video Enhanced Receiver system that are deployed 
with our forces today. As a stalwart division for L-3, the employees of 
Communication Systems-West were honored in 2005 to receive the L-3 
Chairman's Award for Best Operating Performance.
  It is not an exaggeration to say that the technologies created and 
built by Communication Systems-West have won battles for the United 
States and, equally as important, saved countless American lives.
  However, the leadership of Communication Systems-West's 2,300 
employees, including 1,000 engineers, is not limited to the 
battlefield. It is also found in their dedication to their community. 
Communication Systems-West partners with Utah's universities to assist 
in placing new graduates in promising and creative careers. The company 
is an active member of the Mathematics, Engineering, and Science 
Achievement, or MESA, consortium. MESA, of course, provides resources 
to aid minority and female students entering technological fields of 
study. As a contributor to the Ames and Challenger advanced education 
programs for high school students interested in technology sciences, 
Communication Systems-West continues to bring a bright future to the 
next generation of students.
  Finally, Communication Systems-West also supports it home-town 
National Guardsmen and Reservists by fully paying the salaries of its 
employees who have been activated to fight the War on Terrorism.
  Communication Systems-West and its employees have been an integral 
part of Utah for a half-century, and we all are immensely proud of the 
contributions they have made to our country and our State. I 
congratulate them and wish them 50 more years of success and prosperity 
in the great State of Utah.

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