October 2, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S10473 

The G–1 laid the foundation for the 

future of Gulfstream Aerospace. Five 

decades after that first flight and more 

than four decades after moving to Savannah, Gulfstream has manufactured 

more than 1,800 aircraft. The company’s jets have been used to train 

NASA crew members, transport top 

Government officials, and support our 

Armed Forces, making Gulfstream a 

vital part of America’s aerospace industry. 

Gulfstream also plays a key role in 

the city of Savannah, where its workforce has grown from just 100 employees in 1967 to more than 6,000 today, 

making it the largest manufacturing 

employer in the city. That workforce is 

expected to grow even more in years to 

come thanks to a 7-year, $400 millionplus Long-Range Facilities Master 

Plan that includes at least 1,100 new 

jobs. 

I am delighted to recognize the golden anniversary of Gulfstream flight 

and to congratulate its employees on 

their many contributions to the community, the country, and the worldwide aviation industry. With the help 

of its employees, Gulfstream has become a corporate citizen of the highest 

standard. I commend Gulfstream Aerospace on all their achievements and 

look forward to their continued success 

in the city of Savannah and the great 

State of Georgia.

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∑ 

EMPLOYEE BENEFIT RESEARCH 

INSTITUTE 

∑ Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I 

would like to take a few moments 

today to pay tribute to the Employee 

Benefit Research Institute, or EBRI, on 

the occasion of its 30th anniversary. 

EBRI is a well-known, nonpartisan research institution providing invaluable 

analysis, briefings, and publications on 

health and retirement issues, which are 

critically important to both America’s 

workers and the employers that sponsor these benefits. The high-quality 

and objective work done by EBRI has 

won it respect within the halls of Congress, among members on both sides of 

the aisle in the House of Representatives and in the Senate. On EBRI’s anniversary, I wish to register my appreciation for its work and my admiration 

for its commitment to issues relating 

to employee benefits. I commend EBRI 

for the valuable contribution the institution has made to policymaking in 

the all-important areas of retirement, 

health, and economic security, and 

wish EBRI continued success in the future.∑ 

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BETTENDORF COMMUNITY 

EDUCATION 

∑ Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, in Iowa 

and across the United States, a new 

school year has begun. As you know, 

Iowa public schools have an excellent 

reputation nationwide, and Iowa students’ test scores are among the highest in the Nation. 

I would like to take just a few minutes today to salute the dedicated 

teachers, administrators, and school 

board members in the Bettendorf Community School District, and to report 

on their participation in a unique Federal partnership to repair and modernize school facilities. 

This fall marks the 10th year of the 

Iowa Demonstration Construction 

Grant Program. That is its formal 

name, but it is better known among 

educators in Iowa as the program of 

Harkin grants for Iowa public schools. 

Since 1998, I have been fortunate to secure a total of $121 million for the 

State government in Iowa, which selects worthy school districts to receive 

these grants for a range of renovation 

and repair efforts—everything from updating fire safety systems to building 

new schools or renovating existing facilities. In many cases, this Federal 

funding is used to leverage public and/ 

or private local funding, so it often has 

a tremendous multiplier effect in a 

local school district. 

The Bettendorf Community School 

District received a 2001 Harkin construction grant for $75,000 which it used 

for a fitness education center and a 

2002 Harkin fire life safety grant for 

$150,000 which was used for an addition 

to the high school. The Federal grants 

have made it possible for the district to 

provide quality and safe schools for 

their students. 

Excellent schools do not just pop up 

like mushrooms after a rain. They are 

the product of vision, leadership, persistence, and a tremendous amount of 

collaboration among local officials and 

concerned citizens. I salute superintendent Harrison Cass, Jr., former 

superintendents Marty Lucas and John 

Perdue, the entire staff, administration, and governance in the Bettendorf 

Community School District. In particular, I would like to recognize the 

leadership of the board of education— 

president Barry Anderson, vice president Jeannine Crockett, Paul Castro, 

Barb Ehrmann, Melinda Duncan Foreman, Betsy Justis, Scott Tinsman and 

former board members Debbie Roski, 

Richard Wahlstrand, Dean Arney, Tom 

Luton, Kathy Weigle, and Steve Mayer. 

As we mark the 10th anniversary of 

the Harkin school grant program in 

Iowa, I am obliged to point out that 

many thousands of school buildings 

and facilities across the United States 

are in dire need of renovation or replacement. In my State of Iowa alone, 

according to a recent study, some 79 

percent of public schools need to be upgraded or repaired. The harsh reality is 

that the average age of school buildings in the United States is nearly 50 

years. 

Too often, our children visit ultramodern shopping malls and gleaming 

sports arenas on weekends but during 

the week go to school in rundown or 

antiquated facilities. This sends exactly the wrong message to our young 

people about our priorities. We have to 

do better. 

That is why I am deeply grateful to 

the professionals and parents in the 

Bettendorf Community School District. There is no question that a quality public education for every child is a 

top priority in that community. I salute them and wish them a very successful new school year.

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∑ 

CRESTON COMMUNITY EDUCATION 

∑ Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, in Iowa 

and across the United States, a new 

school year has begun. As you know, 

Iowa public schools have an excellent 

reputation nationwide, and Iowa students’ test scores are among the highest in the Nation. 

I would like to take just a few minutes today to salute the dedicated 

teachers, administrators, and school 

board members in the Creston Community School District, and to report on 

their participation in a unique Federal 

partnership to repair and modernize 

school facilities. 

This fall marks the 10th year of the 

Iowa Demonstration Construction 

Grant Program. That is its formal 

name, but it is better known among 

educators in Iowa as the program of 

Harkin grants for Iowa public schools. 

Since 1998, I have been fortunate to secure a total of $121 million for the 

State government in Iowa, which selects worthy school districts to receive 

these grants for a range of renovation 

and repair efforts—everything from updating fire safety systems to building 

new schools or renovating existing facilities. In many cases, this Federal 

funding is used to leverage public and/ 

or private local funding, so it often has 

a tremendous multiplier effect in a 

local school district. 

The Creston Community School District received a 2002 Harkin grant totaling $1 million which it used to help 

with renovations to convert the middle 

school into an early childhood education center. This project was part of 

a comprehensive facility plan for the 

district which included a new K–8 

school and an addition to the high 

school. These schools are the modern, 

state-of-the-art facilities that befit the 

educational ambitions and excellence 

of this school district. Indeed, they are 

the kind of schools that every child in 

America deserves. The district also received a 1998 fire safety grant totaling 

$60,862 to install fire alarms, improve 

accessibility, and update electrical systems throughout the district. 

Excellent schools do not just pop up 

like mushrooms after a rain. They are 

the product of vision, leadership, persistence, and a tremendous amount of 

collaboration among local officials and 

concerned citizens. I salute the entire 

staff, administration, and governance 

in the Creston Community School District. In particular, I would like to recognize the leadership of the board of 

education—president Bob Deranleau, 

vice president Stacy Wood, Randy 

Hughes, Chad Briley, and Brian Strider, and former board members Dr. Bob 


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