September 14, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1541 

deemed her as a perfect fit as the center’s supervisor. On July 1, 1982, Ms. Chamblee 

transitioned into the center supervisor role, 

and on October 17, 1982, the center opened 

under her care and guidance. 

Virginia Chamblee established programs 

that have become senior center traditions. In 

the first week of the center’s opening, the 

Monday Night Dance was established where it 

has continued to this day. Likewise, the Christmas Luncheon began in 1982 and has developed into one of the largest North Texas senior community pot luck lunches. Another notable tradition from the opening year was the 

weekly jam sessions, which began as music 

lessons but developed into a community orchestra of nearly 20 members. 

Virginia Chamblee has spent the majority 

her life serving her community. Throughout 

her distinguished career, she has been a dedicated and conscientious employee who has 

always championed seniors. She is known for 

her kindness, gentle spirit, and willingness to 

listen to any problem and extend a helping 

hand. 

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the 24th Congressional District of Texas, I ask all my distinguished colleagues to join me in honoring Virginia Chamblee for her 40 years of public 

service with the City of Bedford. 

f 

RECOGNITION OF EMPLOYEES OF 

THE OFFICERS AND THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE U.S. 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

WITH 25 YEARS OF SERVICE TO 

THE HOUSE AND RECIPIENTS OF 

THE HOUSE EMPLOYEE EXCELLENCE AWARD 

HON. DANIEL E. LUNGEN OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, September 14, 2012 

Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California. Mr. 

Speaker, I rise today to congratulate and recognize outstanding employees of the Officers 

(Clerk of the House, Sergeant at Arms, and 

Chief Administrative Officer) and the Inspector 

General of the U.S. House of Representatives 

who have reached the milestone of 25 years 

of service to the U.S. House of Representatives, as well as the recipients of the House 

Employee Excellence Award. 

The House’s most important asset is its 

dedicated and exceptional employees, whose 

work, often behind the scenes, is vital in keeping the operations and services of the House 

running smoothly and efficiently. The employees we recognize today are acknowledged 

and commended for their hard work, dedication, professionalism, support of House Members, their staffs and constituents, and for their 

contributions day-in and day-out to the overall 

operations of the House. These employees 

have a wide range of responsibilities that support the legislative process, ensure the security of the institution, maintain our technology 

and service infrastructure, and contribute to a 

more effective and efficiently operating House 

support structure. They have accomplished 

many great things in a wide range of activities, 

and the House of Representatives and its 

Members, staff, and the general public, are 

better served because of them. 

We honor the individuals named below for 

25 years of dedicated service to the House. 

Collectively, this group has provided four hundred and twenty-five (425) years of service to 

the U.S. House of Representatives: 

Kevin M. Allison, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer 

Harold Blakney, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer 

Thomas H. Blatnik, Office of the Sergeant at 

Arms 

Clarence G. Butler, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer 

David Carreiro, Office of the Clerk 

Darren Dahlstrom, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer 

Scott Derrick, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer 

Kelda Y. Dunklin, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer 

Wesley D. Jones, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer 

Kent Kahler, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer 

Kevin S. Kelley, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer 

Ronald M. Mullvain, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer 

Sandra Q. Pilkerton, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer 

Deborah M. Robertson, Office of the Chief 

Administrative Officer 

Joe T. Taylor, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer 

Kimberly von Harders, Office of the Chief 

Administrative Officer 

Richard E. Wright, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer 

We also recognize and congratulate four 

House employees for receiving the Employee 

Excellence Award. This is a merit-based 

award, given to one employee from each 

House Officer organization, and the Office of 

Inspector General. Selected employees exhibited outstanding overall job performance and 

displayed a willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty throughout the last year. 

We honor the individuals named below for receiving this prestigious award. 

Monica Barnabae, Paige Beatty, and The 

HRCCC Staff, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer 

Stefan J. Bieret, Office of the Sergeant at 

Arms 

Charles M. McGee, Office of the Clerk 

Joseph C. Picolla, Office of Inspector General 

On behalf of the entire House community, I 

extend congratulations and once again recognize and thank these employees for their professionalism and commitment to the U.S. 

House of Representatives as a whole, and in 

particular to their respective House Officers 

and the Inspector General. Their long hours 

and hard work are invaluable, and their years 

of unwavering service, dedication, and commitment to the House set an example for their 

colleagues and other employees who will follow in their footsteps. I celebrate our honorees, and I am proud to stand before you 

and the nation on their behalf to recognize the 

importance of their public service. 

NATIONAL SECURITY AND JOB 

PROTECTION ACT 

SPEECH OF

HON. BETTY McCOLLUM OF MINNESOTA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, September 13, 2012 

Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Speaker, I rise in 

opposition to the so-called National Security 

and Jobs Protection Act. This legislation is another attempt by House Republicans to force 

severe spending cuts that would harm middle 

class families, while protecting tax breaks for 

millionaires. 

This bill is an election year talking point, not 

a genuine solution to preventing massive 

across-the-board budget cuts looming in January 2013. The nonpartisan Congressional 

Budget Office determined this legislation 

would do nothing to prevent budget sequestration. H.R. 6365 cannot take effect unless a 

separate bill implementing the policies of the 

House Republican Budget becomes law. The 

House Republican Budget turns Medicare into 

a voucher program, runs deficits for 29 years, 

provides trillions of dollars in additional tax 

cuts to millionaires and billionaires, and forces 

layoffs for thousands of police officers, firefighters, and teachers. President Obama and 

the Democratic Senate would never impose 

such a radical and destructive plan on America’s families and communities. 

The American people should be thankful 

H.R. 6365 will never become law, since it embodies the same flawed policies as the House 

Republican Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Resolution. It seeks to replace the budget sequester 

House Republicans originally supported with 

cuts to America’s women, children, seniors, 

and middle class families. H.R. 6365 insulates 

the Defense Department from spending reductions even though the Pentagon’s budget doubled over the past decade and the war in Iraq 

is over. H.R. 6365 refuses to ask millionaires 

and billionaires to share the sacrifices it demands of middle class families. 

The budget sequester must be prevented 

from taking effect. House Democrats are 

ready to compromise and vote to replace the 

sequester with a balanced deficit reduction 

plan that includes a combination of spending 

reductions and revenue increases. Every 

mainstream economist agrees this is the only 

approach that will reduce long-term deficits 

and avoid plunging the economy back into recession. Regrettably, the bill on the floor today 

chooses ideology over compromise and prolongs the wait for the solutions our economy 

needs to grow and create jobs. 

I urge my colleagues to oppose H.R. 6365. 

f 

HONORING CARLA LAEMMLE ON 

HER 103RD BIRTHDAY 

HON. HOWARD L. BERMAN OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, September 14, 2012 

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise in recognition of Carla Laemmle on 

the occasion of her 103rd birthday. 

Carla is the niece of Carl Laemmle, who 

founded Universal Studios. She grew up on 

the Universal Studios lot in the early days of 


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