[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16264]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      IN HONOR OF ROY D. HOKE--32 YEARS OF SERVICE AND COMMITMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 27, 2006

  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a man who 
has spent the last 32 years of his life serving this body in the Paint 
Shop. Roy D. Hoke has become a friend of mine and a friend of my office 
staff. Through his years he has worked to make each and every one of 
our offices more beautiful--not for us, but for our constituents and 
honored guests. Rarely have I seen a man more dedicated to his work, 
and more filled with pride at a job well-done.
  He has served in the House under six U.S. Presidents, and 16 sessions 
of Congress. Prior to his service in the House, Mr. Hoke served America 
in the U.S. Army in Vietnam.
  This year, Roy Hoke has become very close to my staff. My office took 
part in the Housewide program to refurbish our offices, and Roy played 
a major role in painting my office. He was always there to make it look 
perfect. Roy was never satisfied with his job--he kept coming back to 
make it look better. After 32 years, he was not done making the House 
of Representatives a more wonderful place to work.
  On Friday, May 26, 2006 Roy was doing his work as he always does. He 
was in my office touching-up when the security alarms went off and the 
Capitol Police ordered the building locked-down. Roy spent the next six 
hours in my office with my staff, sharing in conversation, and Coca-
Cola and peanuts from my home state of Georgia. Although I was not in 
the building, my staff tells me that Roy was a joy to be around that 
day. No one enjoyed the unfortunate situation that developed that day, 
but Roy was an individual who made the hours pass by more smoothly. He 
was unflinching in his manner and helped to keep a startled office 
calm--even as the frightening circumstances hit close to home.
  Since that day in May, my office has truly had a new friend. He has 
become a regular visitor and his constant smile will be missed. Roy's 
hard work and dedication are rare traits. We thank him for his years of 
service to our Nation, to this House, and we wish him luck and God 
speed in the next phase of his life.

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