[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 7106]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         THANKING STATE LEGISLATOR POLLY BUKTA FOR HER SERVICE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. BRUCE L. BRALEY

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 4, 2010

  Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Madam Speaker, I rise to thank Iowa State 
Legislator Polly Bukta for her service to Iowa and our country. 
Representative Bukta is retiring from the Iowa State Legislature at the 
end of the 2010 state legislative session.
  Representative Bukta has represented the Clinton region in the Iowa 
legislature since 1997. She has been a principled, pragmatic leader. In 
addition to serving on several committees in the Iowa House--including 
the Education, Local Government, and Transportation, and Veterans 
Affairs Committees--Representative Bukta is Speaker Pro Tem of the Iowa 
House. She was elected to this position because she has earned the 
trust and respect of her colleagues.
  On the first day of the 2010 Iowa Legislative Session, Representative 
Bukta delivered the following remarks to the Iowa House:
  Honor the institution. Thomas Jefferson did it, and so did James 
Madison, George Washington, Alexander Hamilton and other builders of 
our governmental institutions. They worked tirelessly to make 
representative government work. Now the well-being of our state 
legislature is in our hands. Preserve and protect it so it remains a 
strong, co-equal branch of government. Legislative service is one of 
democracy's worthiest pursuits. It is an important duty that deserves 
our time, attention and dedication. To work well, government requires a 
bond of trust between citizens and their representatives. Try to appeal 
to the best instincts of the electorate, talk about what you stand for, 
what you intend to do during your time in office and then work as hard 
as you can to fulfill those promises. Remember why you ran for office--
to make a difference, a difference for the better.
  Representative Bukta has made ``a difference for the better'' for her 
constituents and the state of Iowa. Madam Speaker, please join me in 
thanking Representative Bukta and her family for their service.

                          ____________________