[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 5774]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1015
                 RECOGNIZING A RURAL ELECTRIC VOLUNTEER

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Missouri (Mrs. Hartzler) for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. HARTZLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and to thank a 
power lineman from Dixon, Missouri, for facilitating the advent of 
safe, reliable, and affordable electricity for a community in Haiti.
  His service and sacrifice will improve the lives of many people 
because electricity is a critical element to improving the quality of 
life, health care, education, clean water, and other vital services.
  I would like to recognize Karl Brandt, who works for Gascosage 
Electric Cooperative. Volunteering his time and expertise for the 
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association's International 
Foundation, he spent 2 weeks in the town of Caracol, providing safety 
training and mentoring for local Haitian linemen.
  Mr. Brandt also assisted with installing power for residences located 
next to an industrial park in Caracol. When fully functional, this 
industrial park will have the capacity to employ 30,000 people. Only 
about 13 percent of the people in Haiti have reliable access to 
electricity.
  The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association International has 
been working on a USAID-funded program to bring electricity to the town 
of Caracol and to nearby areas in northern Haiti.
  Today, more than 1,200 consumers in the town of Caracol have access 
to reliable electricity. According to the U.S. Agency for International 
Development, USAID, some homes here now have antennas for TVs; small 
businesses, like Internet cafes, have been established; and water 
treatment plants are in operation.
  Mr. Brandt, we thank you for your service.

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