[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 16]
[Senate]
[Pages 21520-21521]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO LaJUANA WILCHER

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I rise today to honor LaJuana Wilcher, 
a

[[Page 21521]]

Kentuckian who nobly served the Bluegrass State as secretary for the 
State's Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet, EPPC.
  Appointed by the Governor in 2003, Ms. Wilcher will step down as 
Kentucky's top environmental regulator at the end of this month. As 
secretary for the EPPC, Ms. Wilcher oversaw many of Kentucky's 
regulatory agencies, including those that regulate the environment, 
coal mining, horse racing, banking, insurance, occupational safety and 
health, workers' compensation, housing, alcoholic beverage control, 
charitable gaming, and professional boxing and wrestling.
  Before serving in the Governor's cabinet, Ms. Wilcher had over three 
decades of experience in environmental and natural-resources issues. 
She served in President Ronald Reagan's administration as a biologist 
and environmental lawyer with the U.S. National Park Service. And under 
President George H.W. Bush, she served as the Environmental Protection 
Agency's Assistant Administrator of Water.
  Known for being a straight shooter who got things done, Ms. Wilcher 
dealt with the worst mine disaster in Kentucky in the past 16 years and 
pushed for tougher mine-safety legislation that was passed by the 
Kentucky General Assembly. She also spearheaded changes to Kentucky's 
horse racing industry when she instituted drug testing for horses.
  Mr. President, I wish Ms. Wilcher well as she returns to her law 
practice in Bowling Green, KY. I ask my colleagues to join me in 
thanking her for her dedicated service to the Commonwealth of Kentucky 
and her Nation. She is a true steward of our environment.

                          ____________________