[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 1]
[House]
[Page 419]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING THE SERVICE OF JOE STRICKLAND

  (Mr. HOYER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of our own, Joe 
Strickland, the Chief Reporter of Debates, on his retirement from the 
House after more than 21 years of service.
  Joe Strickland is a native Texan. He came to the House in 1993, 2 
years after graduating from court reporting school. He quickly 
distinguished himself not only as an excellent court reporter but as a 
very capable manager. In 2000, the Clerk of the House promoted Joe to 
Deputy Chief Reporter and made him Chief in 2005.
  Joe has participated in seven State of the Union addresses by three 
Presidents, and he has developed a global reputation as a leader in 
reporting parliamentary debates.
  Joe has represented the House abroad on several occasions, Mr. 
Speaker, including participating in the World e-Parliament Conference 
in Johannesburg.
  Here at home, Joe has addressed the national convention of the 
National Court Reporters Association three times, and he has served on 
the board of the Greater Washington Shorthand Reporters Association.
  Mr. Speaker, the House has lost a great resource and role model for 
the 43 dedicated professionals Joe manages. One of the reporters, of 
course, is on the floor reporting this now, and we thank her, and we 
thank all of those who have to listen to us and report what we say. 
That is a tough job. But I know that Joe will continue to inspire those 
who serve in the reporting office.
  I join, and I know all of my colleagues join, in honoring Joe 
Strickland, thanking him for his service to this House. We wish him a 
very happy retirement, full of time spent with his husband, Tom, and 
their son, Kevin. I thank him for his service to the Congress and to 
our country.

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