[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Page 6865]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    CONGRATULATIONS TO KEITH HATCHER

  Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. President, I rise on a point of personal privilege 
to commend a gentleman from Georgia, Mr. Keith Hatcher.
  Twenty-five years ago, when I worked with my father--my father, among 
other things, was the past president of the Georgia Association of 
REALTORS. I remember one afternoon he came into my office and said: 
Son, we just hired someone today who is going to be special. His name 
is Keith Hatcher. I want you to be sure and look him up the first time 
you get a chance.
  Well, about a week later I met Keith. I was then a member of the 
Georgia Legislature, and I showed him around a little bit. He became 
the assistant to John Cox, who had been the venerable representative of 
the REALTORS for years in that State. I saw that spark in Keith 
Hatcher's eye, and I knew he was going to be a great one, and a great 
one he has been.
  In his 25 years representing the Georgia association and landowners 
and homeowners around our State, he has fought hard for limitations and 
curbs on the power of eminent domain, fought hard for lower ad valorem 
taxes and transfer taxes, and fought hard for reform of landlord-tenant 
laws. He has worked day in and day out for the landowners of our State 
and for the REALTORS of our State, and he has done it in the most 
professional, comprehensive way anybody could possibly do it.
  He has another great story to tell. Keith faced a significant health 
hazard just a few years ago. He was about to lose a kidney, and he 
could have lost his life, but he went through a transplant program in 
Birmingham, AL. The transplant was successful, and he rehabilitated 
himself. Today, he works as hard as he did before the injury. 
Importantly, as well, he works as a member of the board of the National 
Kidney Foundation helping to raise money to support the transplant 
program so others who are afflicted as he was will have the same cure 
he has had.
  So this week, as the REALTORS from Georgia come to town, as I think 
they will from every other State of the Union, to talk to the Members 
of the Senate about laws that affect their industry and their 
profession, the one from Georgia will be led by Keith Hatcher. As he 
has for the last 24 years, he will be a voice for home ownership, a 
voice for lower taxation, and a voice for wide distribution and 
ownership of land, which makes the United States of America the most 
unique country of any on the face of this Earth.
  I am pleased to commend him today on the celebration of his 25th 
anniversary representing the Georgia Association of REALTORS.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a 
quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
order for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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