September 20, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1579 

A. Doherty, Security Officers, were among the 

finest members of our diplomatic corps. They 

dedicated their lives to promote peace, support prosperity, and protect American citizens 

while advancing the interests of the United 

States abroad. 

Ambassador Stevens was a champion of 

the Libyan people’s efforts to remove Muammar Qaddafi from power and served as Special Envoy to the Libyan Transitional National 

Council in Benghazi during the 2011 Libyan 

revolution. 

Foreign Service Information Management 

Officer Sean Smith, and security officers Tyrone S. Woods and Glen A. Doherty as well 

as the United States’ citizens that were injured 

in these attacks made professional and personal sacrifices to faithfully serve the United 

States and its people to advance the ideals of 

freedom, democracy, and human dignity 

around the globe. 

They are heroes and their contributions and 

sacrifices in service to America and the cause 

of freedom will never be forgotten. 

Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this resolution in its condemnation of the terrorists who 

planned and conducted the attack on the 

United States consulate in Benghazi, Libya, 

and those who vandalized the United States 

embassies in Cairo, Egypt, and Sana’a, 

Yemen. The resolution also reaffirms that 

nothing can justify terrorism or attacks on innocent civilians and diplomatic personnel. 

Most importantly, the bill calls upon the 

Governments of Libya, Egypt, and Yemen, in 

full cooperation with the United States Government, to investigate and bring to justice the 

perpetrators of these attacks. 

Finally, the resolution reiterates the United 

States’ commitment to promoting its core values, including support for democracy, universal human rights, individual and religious 

freedom, and respect for human dignity. 

Mr. Speaker, we are fortunate indeed to live 

in a country that produces exceptional men 

like Chris Stevens, Sean Smith, Tyrone 

Woods, and Glen Doherty. Their selfless devotion to our nation’s ideals and values will 

forever mark them as American heroes. I hope 

their families can take consolation in the fact 

that they will live on in the memories of the 

grateful nation they gave their lives to serve. 

It is for these reasons that I support H. Res. 

786 and ask for a moment of silence in memory of Chris Stevens, Sean Smith, Tyrone 

Woods, and Glen Doherty. 

f 

CONGRATULATING ROCIO DE 

MATEO SMITH 

HON. GEORGE MILLER OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, September 20, 2012 

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. 

Speaker, I rise with my colleagues Congresswoman BARBARA LEE and Congressman JOHN

GARAMENDI; to recognize and congratulate 

Rocio de Mateo Smith upon her retirement as 

Executive Director from the Developmental 

Disabilities Area Board 5. 

Born and raised in Mexico City, Rocio de 

Mateo Smith attended Universidad Nacional 

Autonoma de Mexico, where she received a 

B.A. in Mathematics. In the United States, she 

received a B.A. in Psychology from California 

State University, Hayward and an M.S.W. from 

the University of California, Berkeley. 

For the past 30 years, Rocio de Mateo 

Smith has worked in the field of developmental disabilities with a special emphasis in 

services to immigrant communities. In her role 

as Executive Director of Area Board 5 on Developmental Disabilities, Rocio advocated for 

the service rights of people with developmental disabilities of all ages, both at the individual and systemic levels. Prior to this position, she was the Developmental Disabilities 

Coordinator for Alameda County Health Care 

Services Agency and, before that, was the Executive Director of Agency for Infant Development, a Fremont-based program for infants 

with disabilities and their families. 

Rocio is a true champion when it comes to 

advocating for people with developmental disabilities and her knowledge with regard to resources in the community is unmatched. She 

has served and impacted countless individuals 

and families in the Bay Area, representing 

them and guiding them toward appropriate 

services. For all her efforts, Rocio is not only 

highly regarded, but has been recognized and 

honored extensively as an outstanding woman 

and as a true advocate for persons with disabilities. 

Mr. Speaker, I invite my colleagues to join 

me in commending Rocio de Mateo Smith for 

her committed and diligent service to the community. I am pleased to join her family, 

friends, and colleagues in congratulating Rocio 

on an outstanding career and wish her the 

very best as she begins a well-deserved retirement. 

f 

HONORING THE VETERANS AND 

GOLD STAR FAMILIES OF THE 

SEPTEMBER 20, 2012 QUAD CITIES 

HONOR FLIGHT 

HON. DAVID LOEBSACK OF IOWA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, September 20, 2012 

Mr. LOEBSACK. Mr. Speaker, today I have 

the great honor of welcoming to our nation’s 

capital ninety-two Iowa veterans of the Greatest Generation and forty-three Gold Star family members who will be escorting them on 

their visit. This is truly a special Honor Flight 

because it is bringing together World War II 

and Korean War veterans with families who 

have made the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq and 

Afghanistan. 

The 43 Gold Star family members travelling 

to our capital today represent 24 fallen 

servicemembers. I can think of no greater 

honor than to join them and our World War II 

and Korean War veterans at the National 

World War II Memorial during their visit and to 

personally thank Iowa’s, and our nation’s, heroes—our veterans and the families who have 

sacrificed so greatly on behalf of our country. 

When our country was threatened, our 

World War II and Korean War Veterans rose 

to defend not just our nation but the freedoms, 

democracy, and values that we hold dear. The 

Greatest Generation did not seek to be tested 

both abroad by a war that fundamentally challenged our way of life and at home by the 

Great Depression and the rebuilding of our 

economy that followed. But, when called upon 

to do so, they defended and then rebuilt our 

nation. 

This generation of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans is no less humbling in their service and 

sacrifice. They have fought overseas for over 

a decade so that we may live in peace here 

at home. While our country may never be able 

to repay the debt we owe our Gold Star families, we must uphold the promise that we will 

never forget the ultimate sacrifice made by 

their loved ones. 

I am tremendously proud and humbled to 

welcome the Quad Cities Honor Flight, our 

World War II and Korean War veterans, and 

our Gold Star families to our nation’s capital 

today. On behalf of every Iowan I represent, I 

thank them for their service and sacrifice. 

f 

HONORING TREVOR GREENE 

HON. DOC HASTINGS OF WASHINGTON

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, September 20, 2012 

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the 2013 National Principal of the Year, Principal Trevor 

Greene, from Toppenish High School in my 

Congressional District. Principal Greene is an 

outstanding school administrator and I am 

grateful for his leadership and dedication to 

the students and faculty at Toppenish High 

School. 

Four years ago, Principal Greene returned 

to the Yakima Indian Reservation, where he 

grew up, to serve as principal at Toppenish 

High. Once an underperforming school, 

Toppenish High has become a top performing 

institution whose successful model is followed 

by other schools in the region, thanks to the 

hard work of the staff under his leadership. 

Principal Greene energized Toppenish students and helped them gain the confidence 

needed to work harder and dream bigger. By 

implementing a rigorous science, technology, 

engineering and mathematics, STEM, education program and expanding academic opportunities to his students, test scores have 

improved by 67 percent and graduation rates 

are over 90 percent. 

At a time when the United States is falling 

behind in science and math, the Toppenish 

High STEM program continues to increase in 

popularity among students, with enrollment 

jumping by more than 100 students in just one 

school year. Students are receiving a high 

quality education and graduating with the resources and tools they need to succeed in college and beyond. 

Each year, MetLife Resources along with 

the National Association of Secondary School 

Principals Association, NASSP, selects one 

highly deserving principal from a pool of more 

than 100 middle and high school principals nationwide. These individuals, who have been 

nominated by their state, are highly successful 

at providing top-quality learning opportunities 

for students and have demonstrated commendable contributions to the profession. 

I am pleased that as a result of Principal 

Greene’s selection as National Principal of the 

Year, Toppenish High School will receive a 

$5,000 school improvement grant from the 

Metlife Resources/NASSP National Principal 

of the Year program. 

We need more people like Principal Greene 

working to make a difference in our schools. 

I applaud his dedication to the students and 

faculty at Toppenish High School. 


smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with REMARKS