[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 9865]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING J.C. KILMER

  (Mr. KILMER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. KILMER. Mr. Speaker, Tom Brokaw once said:

       It's easy to make a buck. It's much harder to make a 
     difference.

  Today I rise to honor someone who made a difference as a 
schoolteacher for 50 years. He began his career a half century ago at 
Roosevelt Junior High School in Port Angeles, Washington, where he 
taught seventh grade homeroom and coached football.
  I have met so many people who had him as a teacher; I think he may 
have taught my entire hometown. But the common themes from his former 
students that I have met have been these: He was a great teacher. He 
cared about me as a student. He didn't just teach me English and 
geography; he taught me to be a better student and a better person.
  Earlier this week, he finished out his career at the Chrysalis School 
in Woodinville, Washington, and yesterday he had his first well-
deserved day of retirement.
  Mr. Speaker, the teacher that I rise to honor today is named J.C. 
Kilmer, and he is my dad.
  Mark Twain remarked that the two most important days in a person's 
life are the day he is born and the day he figures out why. My father 
was born to teach. And like so many fantastic educators, he has 
affected so many lives in so many ways.
  So today I hope you will join me in thanking a teacher. I want to 
congratulate him for being a great educator, a difference maker, and a 
terrific dad.
  Happy retirement, Dad.

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