[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 10979]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




HONORING RICHARD APLING FOR HIS YEARS OF SERVICE WITH THE CONGRESSIONAL 
                            RESEARCH SERVICE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. GEORGE MILLER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 22, 2008

  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to 
praise a public servant who is finishing 20 years of outstanding 
service to the Congressional Research Service. Members of Congress and 
their staff who are engaged with Federal education and disability 
legislation have benefited from the wisdom and professionalism of 
Richard Apling, Specialist in Social Legislation. Rick joined CRS in 
1988 and has worked with Members of Congress and their staff on many of 
our most critical education issues. Rick has received numerous 
outstanding performance ratings as well as the gratitude of all of the 
Members and staff whom he has served throughout his career at CRS.
  Rick earned a bachelor's degree from Oberlin College, two master's 
degrees from the University of North Carolina, and a doctorate in 
education from Harvard University. Previous to joining CRS, he worked 
as a middle school history teacher and as a senior research associate 
at two private sector firms, senior research associate at Advance 
Technology, Inc., and at Policy Studies Associates.
  Since he began his service at CRS 20 years ago, Rick has been a 
nationally recognized expert on numerous aspects of major Federal 
education policy. Rick has been the lead policy analyst responsible for 
a variety of important and complex education programs and statutes, 
particularly the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, IDEA, and 
the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act. Rick has 
also been responsible for a number of the larger programs authorized by 
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, ESEA, including the Impact 
Aid program, and the increasingly important and complex issues of 
assessments and accountability for students with disabilities at the 
intersection of the ESEA and IDEA.
  Rick is a leader in developing analytic capacity within the entire 
Education and Labor Section of CRS' Domestic Social Policy Division. He 
never fails to provide valuable input to colleagues; he has advised 
staff from throughout Domestic Social Policy Division, DSP, on 
allocation formula programming and a wide range of data analysis issues 
and has frequently served as a very effective mentor for junior staff.
  Rick is a thoughtful, responsive and hard-working civil servant who 
has supported Members of Congress and staff with his tremendous depth 
of knowledge, history and analysis--always with a wry smile and 
incredible patience. His ability to research details and explain 
complex information is unparalleled, and no matter how tight the 
deadline or how stressful the situation, Rick always responds in a 
friendly and composed manner. Rick's work is an outstanding example of 
high-level analytic support for the legislative process, and 
collaboration and leadership in capacity building. He will be missed 
greatly, but his influence will continue to be reflected through 
support of Congress' deliberations by the many remaining CRS staff whom 
he has mentored or advised, who will carry on his tradition of service.
  I am proud to thank Rick Apling publicly on behalf of this Congress 
for his many contributions to our Nation and, in particular, on behalf 
of students with disabilities.

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