[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 9954]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      THANKS TO ALLEN L. THOMPSON

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 25, 2006

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank Allen 
L. Thompson, Senior Professional Staff of the Committee on Homeland 
Security, for his dedication and service to Congress and our Nation. As 
the Ranking Member of the Committee, I speak for the entire Committee 
when I say he will be missed when he leaves the Hill at the end of this 
month.
  Al was one of the original Democratic staffers of the Select 
Committee on Homeland Security, the predecessor of the now-permanent 
Committee. During the past 3 years, he has been one of the ``best and 
the brightest'' working to secure our homeland and protect our 
communities. A Coast Guard Academy graduate, Al brought a unique 
perspective and discipline to the Committee.
  With his expertise and knowledge of port security, supply chain 
policy, and the Coast Guard, Al has certainly been a key member of the 
House's homeland security team. This Congress, Al has served as the 
Coordinator for Ranking Member Loretta Sanchez on the Subcommittee on 
Economic Security, Infrastructure Protection, and Cybersecurity. 
Representative Sanchez has this to say about Al, ``During my nearly 10 
years in the House of Representatives, I've run across very few people 
with the level of professionalism and decorum matching that of Al 
Thompson. As the liaison assigned to assist me with my work as Ranking 
Member of this subcommittee, Al's expertise and Coast Guard background 
was invaluable in helping me forward the Democratic agenda of this 
young Committee, particularly in the area of port security. He will be 
sorely missed by those of us who had the pleasure of working with 
him.''
  Former Representative Jim Turner, who served as the Ranking Member of 
the Select Committee during the 108th Congress, sent me the following 
comments when he heard of Al's departure: ``When Al first joined the 
Select Committee in June 2003, I knew he came for the right reason--his 
deep commitment to making America safer. From his experience as a 
member of the United States Coast Guard he knew this task must be 
accomplished over and over again every day by the men and women serving 
on the front lines of our homeland. For Al, homeland security was not a 
theoretical debate; it was a day to day passion.''
  Now, as someone who has been married 38 years, I know that I would be 
remiss if I didn't thank Becca, Al's wife. She and their two sons, 
Tyson Allen and Hunter Gregory, have been as much a part of our 
Committee family as Al has. I personally want to thank Becca for her 
service to the Nation by lending us Al for long hours and late nights 
over the past 3 years, even with two young boys at home. From what I've 
seen, by the way, there is no question that those boys will follow in 
their father's footsteps and play college ball and maybe, if Al has his 
way, join his beloved Steelers one day.
  In sum, I want to thank Al Thompson for the caliber of service and 
patriotism he has dedicated to Congress, the Committee of Homeland 
Security, and the Nation.

                          ____________________