[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Pages 10021-10022]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                   RECOGNIZING ARKANSAS POWER LINEMEN

 Mr. COTTON. Mr. President, I would like to recognize 12 
Arkansas power linemen who recently traveled to Guatemala as volunteers 
with the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association's 
International Foundation to put into action cooperative principle 
number 6--cooperation among cooperatives. On their recent trip, Doug 
Evans, Kyle

[[Page 10022]]

Metcalf, Andy Caywood, Michael Counts, Andy Ward, Brent Hufstedler, 
Kirk Kempson, Kris Rankin, Joey Burk, Paul Garrison, Ryan Hayes, and 
Will Glover donated their time and expertise to help those less 
fortunate.
  Over 19 days, these men built an electric distribution system that 
extended 4 miles to the agricultural communities of Jolom Ijix and 
Zapotal. Their work connected homes to an electric grid powered by a 
small hydroelectric plant, helping bring electricity to these 
communities for the first time. Electricity plays a critical role in 
providing health care, education, access to clean water, and economic 
opportunity, and I am proud to have these Arkansans help the people of 
Jolom Ijix and Zapotal along the path towards long-lasting growth.
  These 12 men and the many other volunteers from electric co-ops in 
Arkansas have traveled to Guatemala for rural electrification projects 
in recent years. Their compassion and spirit represent the best of our 
State. As a result of their efforts, the residents of these Guatemalan 
communities will see an immeasurable improvement in their quality of 
life. These volunteers, like others before them, have created a lasting 
impact on regions that need help the most.

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