[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Pages 16333-16334]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                      TRIBUTE TO RAYMOND S. BURTON

 Ms. AYOTTE. Madam President, today I wish to honor the 
remarkable service of a great New Hampshire statesman: Councilor 
Raymond S. Burton of Bath.
  Councilor Burton has devoted his life to serving the people of New 
Hampshire--and it is been a labor of love. He has served with great 
distinction, remarkable diligence, Yankee wit and wisdom, and a deep 
and abiding love for the people of northern New Hampshire.
  For 18 terms, he has represented District One on the State's 
Executive Council, distinguishing himself as a tireless champion for 
the North Country. Ray is the longest serving Executive Councilor in 
New Hampshire's history.
  He has also served for 22 years as a Grafton County Commissioner, and 
is now the board's Clerk. His position as a county commissioner allows 
him to double his efforts to improve the lives of the people of 
northern New Hampshire, which is his life's work.
  This past weekend, Councilor Burton made the very sad announcement 
that he will not seek reelection to either elected post next year. This 
was no doubt a difficult decision for Ray, given his decades of 
service. I look forward to being in Council District One on Friday to 
join with Ray's many friends and supporters to honor his unmatched 
record of service to our state.
  I am confident that he will continue to give 110 percent to serving 
his constituents, just as he has done for decades.
  But his announcement represents a tremendous loss, not just for the 
people of the North County, but for citizens across New Hampshire.
  Daniel Webster once said, ``. . . in the mountains of New Hampshire, 
God Almighty has hung out a sign to show that there He makes men.'' 
Webster was referring to our beloved Old Man of the Mountain. But he 
could have just as easily been talking about Councilor Ray Burton, a 
gold standard public official of unmatched stature.
  No one brings the same level of dedication, commitment, and 
enthusiasm to public life as Ray Burton.
  To him, public service is not just a privilege--it is a calling and a 
true joy. And no one is better at constituent service than Ray Burton.
  District One is vast, stretching from Pittsburg on the Canadian 
border south to the Lakes Region, and from the Connecticut River Valley 
to the Mount Washington Valley.
  He has logged countless miles traveling the villages, towns, cities 
and counties of his district, frequently behind the wheel of a classic 
car. And if he is not driving an antique car, you will frequently find 
him on a snowmobile.
  Seventeen hour days are not unusual for Councilor Burton. He has been 
known to start days in Claremont and finish way up in northern Coos 
County, before returning to his cherished home in Bath.
  No community gathering or meeting is too small for Councilor Burton. 
If it is important to his constituents, it is important to him.
  He has said for many years that he always runs for office like he is 
three votes behind--a real statement, given that he has served on the 
Executive Council for nearly 4 decades, frequently was the nominee of 
both the Republicans and the Democrats, and comfortably wins reelection 
by double digit margins. It just goes to show you how seriously he 
takes the job and how eager he is to make a difference in the lives of 
his constituents.
  The fruits of his labor can be found across Council District One, 
whether it is an improved bridge or road, or an initiative to 
strengthen the economy and create jobs.
  It can also be found in quieter ways: the constituent he helped with 
a state agency, or the citizen who needed a hand with local or county 
government
  In addition to handing out his trademark combs, Ray gladly gives out 
his office number, his home office number, his car phone number and his 
email address--and he encourages people to use them. They call for help 
in times of need--and he delivers results.
  In fact, a former State commissioner once joked that when she 
switched on her computer on Monday mornings, she would find two dozen 
emails from Councilor Burton. That would not surprise me, given his 
view that the concerns of his constituents are of paramount importance 
and should go straight to the top. I can personally report having 
received dozens of inquiries from Ray--signed with his familiar line, 
``May I hear from you?''
  When not traveling his district, Ray is an enormously respected 
leader in Concord, where he first arrived in the late 1960s to work as 
a Sergeant at Arms in the State House of Representatives and the State 
Senate. Remarkably, he has served at the Statehouse during the 
administrations of 10 governors.
  In 1976, he was first elected to New Hampshire's Executive Council, 
an executive branch panel that functions as a check on executive power 
and dates back to 1680. It is a position he has held since 1981, 
earning the honorary title of ``dean'' of the council.
  When I served as New Hampshire's Attorney General, I saw up close 
that Councilor Burton is someone who does his homework, asks tough 
questions, and fights with every fiber of his being for what he 
believes is right. I also saw how deeply he loves our State--and how 
hard he fights for the people of northern New Hampshire.
  Beyond his tremendous efforts on behalf of his constituents, Ray also 
deserves great credit for working to prepare future generations of 
leaders. After his election to the Executive Council, he initiated a 
student internship program, which has become legendary in New 
Hampshire. Over the years, 140 interns have served Councilor Burton. 
Many of these young men and women have gone on to great careers in 
politics and government, carrying on his proud tradition of excellence 
in public service. I know that Ray's interns are a source of tremendous 
pride to him, and I commend him for continuing a program that has 
served so many so well.

[[Page 16334]]

  I am pleased to join citizens across New Hampshire in thanking 
Councilor Burton for his decades of extraordinary service to our State. 
No one has fought harder for his constituents than Ray Burton. And for 
generations to come, public officials will look to Ray as a model--
striving to match his tremendous energy, his inherent decency, and his 
extraordinary commitment to strengthening our beloved state.

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