[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 11324-11325]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




CONGRATULATING PAUL GIBLIN, PATTI EPLER, AND RYAN GABRIELSON RECIPIENTS 
             OF THE 2009 PULITZER PRIZE FOR LOCAL REPORTING

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. HARRY E. MITCHELL

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 30, 2009

  Mr. MITCHELL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate three 
Arizona journalists, Paul Giblin, Patti Epler, and Ryan Gabrielson, for 
earning the most prestigious honor in their profession, the 2009 
Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting. Their hard work and dedicated 
effort on behalf of The East Valley Tribune are deserving of 
recognition and should be a source of pride for the people of Arizona.
  The Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting was first awarded in 1948 to 
honor journalists who display innovation and knowledge of their 
communities while reporting on important local issues. The Pulitzer 
Prize Committee offers each winner a $10,000 award and a commemorative 
certificate, but more important is these journalists have earned the 
respect and admiration of their peers and the public.
  Paul, Patti, and Ryan have set a new standard for all Arizona 
journalists with their commitment to excellence through their 
exhaustive in-depth reporting on the impact of immigration enforcement 
in Arizona. Despite facing tough conditions with the downsizing of the 
newspaper industry--both Paul Giblin and Patti Epler have since been 
laid off by The Tribune--these individuals have reminded us all that 
investigative journalism is still vital to shedding light on and 
informing the public about significant issues that face the nation 
today.
  It is only the fourth time in Arizona's history that a local media 
organization has won a Pulitzer Prize. More significantly, it 
represents only the second occasion that a Pulitzer Prize has been 
awarded in Arizona for reporting.
  Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing Paul, Patti, and Ryan's 
achievement and their continued service to journalism in the public 
interest.

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