[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 16]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 21763]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO LAURA PRYOR

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. GREG WALDEN

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 29, 2006

  Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a 
remarkable lady and tremendous public servant who hails from the quaint 
town of Condon, Oregon--Laura Pryor. For as long as I can remember, 
folks in Gilliam County have fondly referred to her as ``Judge Pryor'' 
as she is the chief steward of the county. Today, I ask my colleagues 
to join me as we thank Judge Pryor for the countless contributions she 
has made to Gilliam County and the state of Oregon during 19 years of 
public service.
  Born and raised in San Diego County, Judge Pryor rode her horse to 
school up until the second grade. Her childhood instilled in her a love 
for the rural countryside and rural way of life. Over 30 years ago, as 
her California community began to develop and be paved, Laura decided 
to move her four children to Oregon to avoid the urban sprawl in 
preference for a country setting where neighbors still offer their help 
without thinking about it. After briefly serving at the Oregon 
Department of Economic Development, she met a third-generation wheat 
farmer, married him and moved to his hometown of Condon, population 
750. Within two years, the governor appointed her to fill a vacant seat 
on the county commission. Gilliam County is one of seven in Oregon 
where the top official is titled ``county judge,'' and has 
responsibility over some judicial functions in addition to chairing the 
county commission. Laura has been ably steering Gilliam County from the 
judge's seat for 19 years.
  Mr. Speaker, Gilliam County is in the heart of the Columbia Plateau 
where the economy is largely agrarian and the towns are quietly settled 
away from the main thoroughfares. With a population of approximately 
1,900, the county encompasses nearly 1.6 square miles for every person. 
The county courthouse sits 250 miles away from the state capital in 
Salem, and nearly 3,000 miles from our nation's capital here in 
Washington, D.C. The region needs an effective and assertive voice to 
be heard, and Judge Pryor has delivered just that the past two decades.
  It is through Laura's first-hand experiences in life and in 
representing rural Oregonians that she became such a strong advocate 
for farmers, ranchers, and small business owners in small and rustic 
communities all across the West. Judge Pryor has worked tirelessly at 
the state and federal level to ensure attention to basic services such 
as education and health care in small towns. She's worked hard to 
maintain funding for county roads while promoting and encouraging 
economic development and commerce within the county.
  Mr. Speaker, I have had the joy to work closely with Laura on 
numerous issues through the years, and know well the deep devotion she 
brings to her job each and every day in representing her fellow 
citizens in Gilliam County. It is this devotion that propelled a county 
effort to construct a Grain Quality Lab that has enabled area wheat 
growers to become more competitive in the global marketplace by 
enhancing quality and productivity. I was honored to help her in this 
endeavor, and will be visiting this topnotch facility next month She 
has also been a strong proponent for renewable energy efforts and has 
worked to locate wind farms within the county for an additional tax 
base and source of revenue.
  While it is very difficult to choose Judge Pryor's most memorable 
accomplishments, many would say it has been her successful effort to 
unite rural Oregon as one voice. Laura's leadership among her elected 
peers led to the establishment of the Eastern Oregon Rural Alliance, 
which joins government officials with residents from all across the 
vast territory of eastern Oregon in advocacy for rural issues. Her 
efforts ultimately led to the creation of the Office of Rural Policy, 
which was established by the state of Oregon to examine how state 
policies impact rural communities and act as an advisory branch to the 
state legislature and the governor.
  Mr. Speaker, my remarks illustrate but a few of the tremendous 
accomplishments Judge Pryor has made during her distinguished career. I 
appreciate my colleagues joining me today in congratulating Judge Laura 
Pryor, an extraordinary lady and great American. I wish Laura and her 
husband, Earl, many years of continued happiness and success.

                          ____________________