[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 16]
[Senate]
[Page 21486]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                          COMMENDING DICK RUSH

 Mr. INHOFE. Madam President, on behalf of the Oklahoma 
Congressional Delegation, I would like to congratulate Richard P. Rush 
on his retirement from the Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce.
  Dick will be leaving the State chamber next spring after serving as 
its president and chief executive officer for 24 years. Dick has made a 
positive contribution to the State of Oklahoma and has been 
characterized as ``the State's leading pro-business advocate.'' Dick's 
success is evident in both his internal administration of the State 
chamber and his work leading key probusiness campaigns which have made 
a positive impact on Oklahoma creating jobs and increasing business 
development.
  Due to Dick's work, the State chamber now operates debt free. During 
his tenure, Dick has built the State chamber to over 2,000 members. He 
has been named Executive of the Year by the Oklahoma Chamber of 
Commerce Executives and is already a member of the Oklahoma Chamber of 
Commerce Hall of Fame.
  Through leading key campaigns advocating new business opportunities 
and job creation such as Right-to-Work and tort reform, Dick has been 
credited with saving the business community in Oklahoma over $2 
billion. In fact, the State chamber recently earned the Nation's 
highest honor from the American Tort Reform Association and the U.S. 
Chamber's Institute for Legal Reform. Just this year, the State chamber 
was awarded the ``The State Legislative Achievement Award'' by the U.S. 
Chamber's Institute for Legal Reform and the first annual ``Gold Medal 
for the Best State Civil Justice Legislation'' by the American Tort 
Reform Association. Dick has also led international outreach serving as 
Executive in Charge of sister chamber work between the Oklahoma State 
Chamber and both the Gansu, China Provincial Chamber and the Liaoning, 
China Provincial Chamber. Dick was a presenter at the VI Hemispheric 
Sister Cities Forum in Iquique, Chile, and he is the recipient of the 
``The George Nigh Global Trade Award.'' Dick's involvement in Oklahoma 
business development has been extensive.
  Dick's success is due in part to his long history in chamber 
management. Before coming to Oklahoma, Dick worked in chambers 
throughout the country from California to Texas before coming to 
Oklahoma in 1986. His experience also extends internationally as Dick 
worked as a project adviser for the U.S. Chamber's Center for 
International Private Enterprise serving as a consultant to the 
National Chamber of Commerce of Zimbabwe, Africa.
  Oklahomans can appreciate Dick's service to the Oklahoma State 
Chamber and the entire State of Oklahoma, and we wish him the very best 
in his retirement and all future endeavors.

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