S6054 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 10, 2012 

children. Three years ago, the couple 

created Camp Grace, a summer camp 

for other children with special needs. 

Held monthly at the Whelchel farm, 

the camp is designed to help children 

work toward specific therapy goals. 

They also donate countless hours of 

their time coordinating with volunteers, therapists, and other families to 

ensure the camp’s success. 

It is an honor to nominate Dave and 

Laura as ‘Angels in Adoption’. The 

award, which honors those who have 

enriched the lives of foster and adopted 

children in the U.S., is a small token of 

appreciation for the love and compassion they have shown their children 

over the years. I could not think of a 

more deserving family for this award. 

My hope is that more families will follow the wonderful example set by the 

Whelchels by providing loving homes 

to deserving children.

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∑ 

TRIBUTE TO RYAN AND AMBER 

JOHNSON 

∑ Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, today I 

wish to recognize Ryan and Amber 

Johnson of Sioux Falls, SD, as my 

nominees for the 2012 Angels in Adoption Award. Since 1999, the Angels in 

Adoption program through the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institution has honored more than 1,800 individuals, couples, and organizations 

nationwide for their work in providing 

children with loving, stable homes. 

After being married for only a short 

time, Ryan and Amber Johnson began 

to consider expanding their family. 

After overcoming initial personal setbacks, the Johnson family decided to 

open their home to children in need by 

becoming foster parents. The couple 

quickly accepted the opportunity to 

become long-term foster parents of 

three siblings between the ages of 7 

months and 6 years, and later, the 

Johnsons provided a temporary, loving 

home for a 4-year-old foster child. The 

Johnsons were soon blessed again with 

two Native American half-brothers as 

foster children. It quickly became evident to Ryan and Amber how wonderful 

the addition of these two boys was to 

their family. Shortly after, Ryan and 

Amber adopted Lukias, age 3, and are 

in the process of finalizing the adoption of his younger brother. During the 

adoption process, the Johnson family 

learned that they were pregnant, and 

on May 1, 2011, welcomed their newest 

family member, Sophia. The young 

family now consists of 3 siblings, ages 

1, 2, and 3. 

Foster homes regularly see children 

come and go, staying for varying 

lengths of time. The changing environment often places an emotional toll on 

the caregivers who develop deep, personal relationships with their foster 

children. Despite the challenges that 

foster parents face, the Johnsons have 

used their life lessons to create a 

warm, loving home for children in need 

of a nurturing environment to grow 

and develop. Ryan and Amber plan to 

continue taking in foster children and 

possibly even expand their family by 

giving other children a place to call 

home. 

National Adoption Day is around the 

corner, and it is important to recognize 

the compassionate families who bring 

joy to the lives of children as foster 

and adoptive parents. It brings me 

great pride to be able to honor South 

Dakotans Ryan and Amber Johnson, 

my nominees for the 2012 Angels in 

Adoption Award.

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∑ 

TRIBUTE TO ALAN HAMEL 

∑ Mr. UDALL of COLORADO. Mr. 

President, today I wish to pay tribute 

to a true leader of Colorado’s water 

community, Mr. Alan Hamel. Alan retired from his position on the Board of 

Water Works of Pueblo, CO, at the end 

of August after more than 50 years of 

service for the board. 

Alan began his career as a student 

helper in 1960 working summers for the 

board. He returned after graduating 

from Colorado State University in 

Pueblo to become a full-time pump station operator. Over the next 20 years, 

Alan worked his way up the ladder 

through various management positions 

until he was appointed executive director in 1982. 

Under Alan’s direction, Pueblo has 

built one of the most modern water infrastructure systems in the Nation. Because of his leadership, the Pueblo 

area’s future water supplies are sufficient and secure, which is truly impressive given all of the water challenges 

facing Colorado. The board has also 

benefited from extraordinary continuity during Alan’s 29-year tenure at 

the helm, which I am confident will 

continue under new executive director 

Terry Book’s guidance. 

Alan has also been a water leader 

statewide. He is a member of the Colorado Water Conservation Board, CWCB, 

Colorado Water Congress, CWC, and 

Statewide Water Supply Initiative. He 

has also held leadership positions on 

the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District and Arkansas Basin 

Roundtable among many others. He 

also received CWC’s top award in 2010, 

the prestigious Wayne Aspinall Water 

Leader of the Year Award, for his lifetime of achievement. 

On a more personal level, Alan has 

earned the respect and admiration of 

the Colorado water community because 

he is a true public servant in the best 

sense of the word. He is unflappable, a 

fountain of knowledge about water, 

and always seeks common ground with 

opposing views while fighting fiercely 

and fairly for the needs of his community. He cares deeply about Pueblo and 

Colorado and has served both remarkably. 

And above all, Alan is a family man 

who knows none of this could be possible without the support of his wife 

Mary Kay and children. While he lives 

and breathes water, his family comes 

first and foremost. 

As with most water warriors, Alan’s 

retirement will only be partial. He will 

continue his work on CWCB and the 

Arkansas Basin Roundtable, and I am 

sure many of us will still call upon his 

wisdom and experience often. I suppose 

after more than 50 years of service he 

has earned the right to switch to parttime work. 

I wish him well in his next endeavors 

and congratulate him on an impressive 

career.∑ 

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MESSAGES FROM THE PRESIDENT 

Messages from the President of the 

United States were communicated to 

the Senate by Mr. Pate, one of his secretaries. 

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EXECUTIVE MESSAGES REFERRED 

As in executive session the Presiding 

Officer laid before the Senate messages 

from the President of the United 

States submitting sundry nominations 

which were referred to the appropriate 

committees. 

(The messages received today are 

printed at the end of the Senate proceedings.) 

f 

MESSAGES FROM THE HOUSE 

RECEIVED DURING ADJOURNMENT 

Under the authority of the order of 

the Senate of January 5, 2011, the Secretary of the Senate, on August 3, 2012, 

during the adjournment of the Senate, 

received a message from the House of 

Representatives that the Clerk is directed to inform the Senate that the 

House of Representatives failed to 

agree to the resolution of the Senate 

(S. Con. Res. 56) providing for a conditional adjournment or recess of the 

Senate and an adjournment of the 

House of Representatives. 

Under the authority of the order of 

the Senate of January 5, 2011, the Secretary of the Senate, on August 3, 2012, 

during the adjournment of the Senate, 

received a message from the House of 

Representatives announcing that the 

House has passed the following bill, 

without amendment: 

S. 3510. An act to prevent harm to the national security or endangering the military 

officers and civilian employees to whom 

internet publication of certain information 

applies, and for other purposes. 

The message also announced that 

pursuant to 20 U.S.C. 2103(b), and the 

order of the House of January 5, 2011, 

the Speaker appoints the following individual from private life to the Board 

of Trustees of the American Folklife 

Center in the Library of Congress on 

the part of the House of Representatives for a term of 6 years: Mr. C. Kurt 

Dewhurt of Michigan. 

Under the authority of the order of 

the Senate of January 5, 2011, the Secretary of the Senate, on August 7, 2012, 

during the adjournment of the Senate, 

received a message from the House of 

Representatives announcing that the 


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