September 19, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6445 

This relationship inspired the students to write a play about Sendler’s 

life and work. ‘‘Life in a Jar: The Irena 

Sendler Project’’ continues to be performed in Uniontown, KS, and has been 

preformed across the U.S. and in Europe. Fortunately, this project brought 

Sendler much overdue national attention in Poland, and in 2007 Sendler was 

nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. In 

2008, Irena Sendler passed away at age 

98. 

The Lowell Milken Center continues 

to pursue those often missed in history 

books and to promote cross-cultural 

understanding in the world. It is an 

honor to represent the Lowell Milken 

Center in the United States Senate, 

and I commend their efforts to promote 

the unsung heroes who changed the 

world through the 2012 National 

Projects Kick-off.

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∑ 

TRIBUTE TO KRISTEN MCGONIGLE 

∑ Mrs. SHAHEEN. Mr. President, today 

I wish to honor a remarkable citizen, 

Kristen McGonigle of Concord, NH. On 

June 9, 2012, Kristen saved the life of a 

fellow runner during a local road race. 

Every June, Portsmouth, NH hosts a 

10K road race in conjunction with Market Square Day, an annual celebration 

honoring the renovation of one of the 

historic city’s vibrant downtown areas. 

Kristen was participating in the race 

when she noticed another runner, 

Steve Whitney, showing signs of a significant heart attack. 

As a cardiac care nurse at Concord 

Hospital with more than 16 years of experience, Kristen immediately recognized Steve’s symptoms and took swift 

action to save his life. Kristen possessed the skills necessary to keep 

Steve alive until paramedics arrived. 

In fact, Kristen continued to perform 

chest compressions even after the arrival of emergency medical technicians. Her quick action ensured that 

Steve safely reached the qualified 

health care providers at Portsmouth 

Regional Hospital. 

According to the Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention, heart disease 

is the leading cause of death in the 

United States. Sadly, nearly every 

American knows an individual impacted by heart disease, and all too 

many people suffer a catastrophic cardiac event similar to the one Steve 

Whitney experienced. 

Nursing professionals dedicate their 

working lives to caring for those in 

need, providing the comforts and necessities required for their patients to regain strength and recover good health. 

The frequent acts of heroism performed 

by these men and women often go unnoticed, but it is impossible to overvalue the work they perform. The daily 

efforts of nurses for the betterment of 

others serve as an invaluable bridge to 

care between doctor and patient. 

I applaud and thank Kristen for her 

devotion to those in need. She has 

spent her career helping others while 

also caring for her family, including 

her husband Kirk and her two children, 

Camden and Ally. Her exemplary behavior gives her family, her workplace, 

her community, and the State of New 

Hampshire great pride. 

I wish to thank Kristen McGonigle 

for her service and her actions on June 

9, 2012, and commend her kindness, 

compassion, and dedication to her field 

and her fellow citizens.

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∑ 

RECOGNIZING YALE CORDAGE 

∑ Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, it is no 

secret that my home State of Maine 

boasts an expansive coastline, unmatched in beauty. With its numerous 

bays and inlets, this coastline provides 

endless opportunities for the many industries that have come to be known as 

quintessentially Maine, including commercial fishing, shipbuilding, and 

pleasure boating. One excellent example is Yale Cordage of Saco, ME, a 

small business dedicated to manufacturing quality products used by industries throughout Maine and the world. 

Founded in 1950 by O. Sherman Yale, 

Yale Cordage introduced synthetic 

fiber to the commercial fishing industry when it began manufacturing 

ropes. For 20 years its focus remained 

on commercial fishing; however, it expanded its product line to provide ropes 

for the pleasure marine marketplace 

when Yale’s son Tom, an avid sailor, 

joined the company. From there, Yale 

Cordage began building its reputation 

as a leader in the pleasure marine industry by introducing technologically 

innovative products and, through 

Tom’s leadership as President of the 

Cordage Institute, influencing industry 

standards. Moreover, in 1983 Australia 

II won the America’s Cup for yacht 

sailing using all Yale Cordage rigging. 

But Yale Cordage’s desire to seek new 

markets did not stop there. 

Recognizing certain limitations of 

the pleasure marine market, Yale 

Cordage sought new ways to use its 

products in different industries. Now, 

Yale Cordage’s products are not only 

found on boats but throughout the 

world and in a variety of capacities. 

For example, Central Maine Power uses 

Yale Cordage’s products to string new 

power lines while Bath Iron Works uses 

them in the destroyer class of naval 

warships. You can find Yale Cordage 

products in the ocean for use with offshore oil rigs, beneath the Earth’s surface in the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory, in the sky on the Hood Blimp, at 

the tops of trees with arborist climbers, and recently at Niagara Falls when 

Yale Cordage rope was used in the 

hoisting and securing process for the 

world’s first tightrope walk directly 

over the falls. The National Data Buoy 

Center trusts Yale Cordage products to 

moor weather buoys critical in the 

tracking of storms, including the recent hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico. 

Even our armed services have taken 

advantage of Yale Cordage’s quality 

products: the U.S. Army uses Yale 

Cordage ropes to remove tanks from 

ditches in Afghanistan, and the Navy 

SEALs use it when rappelling from helicopters. 

Through hard work, ingenuity, and 

determination, Yale Cordage has 

evolved from a commercial fishing rope 

supplier to a $20 million company that 

manufactures rope for a wide range of 

industries. It now operates a state-ofthe-art facility, and provides jobs for 75 

people in my home State. Yale Cordage 

is a shining example of the entrepreneurial spirit of Maine. I am proud to 

commend everyone at Yale Cordage on 

their success and offer my best wishes 

for the future.

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∑ 

TRIBUTE TO PETER J. FOS 

∑ Mr.VITTER. Mr. President, today I 

wish to recognize Dr. Peter J. Fos. In 

January, Dr. Fos was named the sixth 

leader and first president of the University of New Orleans. A New Orleans 

native and graduate of UNO, Dr. Fos 

received his degree in biological 

sciences and a doctor of dental surgery 

from LSU Health Sciences Center. He 

also earned his masters of public 

health and doctor of philosophy in 

health care decision analysis from 

Tulane University. 

Prior to being selected as president, 

Dr. Fos served as a professor and program director of health policy and systems management at LSU Health 

Sciences Center where he oversaw curriculum development and assessment 

and student and faculty professional 

development. 

He also served as provost and executive vice president for 3 years at the 

University of Texas at Tyler and spent 

4 years as dean of the College of Health 

at the University of Southern Mississippi. Dr. Fos has also held positions 

at the Mississippi State Department of 

Health, the University of Nevada, Las 

Vegas School of Dental Medicine, 

Tulane University School of Public 

Health and Tropical Medicine, and 

Tulane University Department of 

Health Systems Management. 

In addition to increasing enrollment 

under new admissions standards, Dr. 

Fos also has both short and long-term 

goals which include improving communication both on and off campus and 

reconnecting UNO to the local business 

community. 

At a time when Louisiana’s higher 

education system is being asked to do 

more with less, it is important that 

those tasked with guiding our universities into the future do so in ways that 

will not compromise the educational 

value provided to Louisiana’s students. 

With his long career educating our 

youth, I am pleased for Dr. Fos that he 

has been selected to lead UNO, and I 

congratulate him on this great honor.

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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. 


tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with SENATE