October 2, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S10479 

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

leadership of the board of education, 

president Harm Eggena III, vice president Angie Johnson, Bea Volk, Tim 

Trettin, and Wendy Fullerton, and 

former members, Rick Demaray, Scott 

Woodruff, Gary O’Connor, Terri Engels, 

Ann Sullivan, Bill Dolan, Lisa Paulus, 

and Pat Rooney. I would also like to 

recognize superintendent Steve Ward, 

former superintendent Gary Schwartz, 

director of buildings and grounds Norm 

Kelly, board secretary Janice Kuhlers, 

Neil Fullerton, and Neil Wedeking. 

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 

Rudd-Rockford-Marble Rock 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.∑ 

f 

WEST DES MOINES 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 West Des Moines 

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 West Des Moines Community 

School District received two Harkin 

fire safety grants totaling $332,011 

which it used to make fire safety repairs at the Walnut Creek Campus and 

at Fairmeadows Elementary 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 the entire 

staff, administration, and governance 

in the West Des Moines Community 

School District. In particular, I would 

like to recognize the leadership of the 

board of education—president Mark 

Lyons, vice president Terry Tobin, Barbara Burnett, Jill Hansen, Susan 

Moritz, Tom Suckow, and H. Milton 

Cole, and former board members Jim 

Aipperspach, Jane Fogg, Curt Lack, 

Pete Leo, John Paule, Jeanne Taylor, 

John Ambroson, Gretchen Tegeler, and 

Deb Thomas. I would also like to recognize superintendent Tom Narak, 

former superintendent Les Omotani, 

former associate superintendent Galen 

Howsare. 

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 

West Des Moines 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.

f 

∑ 

RETIREMENT OF LYNN 

CARPENTER 

∑ Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, today 

I recognize and commend the service of 

Lynn Carpenter of South Dakota. Mr. 

Carpenter is retiring from the Department of Veterans Affairs after over 34 

years of honorable service to the agency. 

Lynn began his career with the Department of Veterans Affairs in 1974 

after serving with the United States 

Army for 2 years. He continued his 

service in the National Guard for 18 

more years, retiring in 2005. Lynn has 

served in various positions within the 

VA system, most recently as the Veterans Service Center Manager at the 

Sioux Falls VA Regional Office. 

During his tenure with the VA, Lynn 

has been an invaluable resource for 

veterans and their families. He has provided important counsel and advice to 

VA officials, veterans service officers 

and congressional members and their 

staff on a range of issues. Throughout 

his time with the VA, he has seen 

many changes in the system and was 

able to address the ever changing needs 

and concerns of veterans and their families. 

I have appreciated Lynn’s willingness 

to take the time to answer questions 

and concerns from my staff members. I 

commend his dedication and commitment to making sure every veteran’s 

case or question was always handled in 

a timely manner. Lynn can take great 

pride in his work during his Federal 

service career. In his retirement, he 

will spend more time fishing at his 

lake home in Big Stone. I wish Lynn, 

his wife Debbie, and their family all 

the best in retirement. It is with great 

honor that I share his impressive accomplishments with my colleagues, 

and I thank him for his service to this 

Nation and its veterans.

f 

∑ 

BLUE WATER CREEK MASSACRE 

∑ Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, today 

I wish to speak in regards to the Blue 

Water Creek Massacre of 1855. On September 3, 1855, while camped near the 

Blue Water Creek in present day Nebraska, a group of Lakota were attacked by COL William S. Harney and 

his troops. According to Army records, 

86 Lakota were killed and 70 captured. 

The Battle of Blue Water Creek is also 

known as the Battle of Ash Hollow or 

the Harney Massacre according to the 

Nebraska State Historical Society, 

which maintains a historical marker, 

along U.S. 26, 11⁄2 miles west of 

Lewellen, NE. 

There are several historical accounts 

of what transpired that day in 1855 and 

the Little Thunder Tiospaye contacted 

me because they seek to commemorate 

and to preserve for future generations 

the history surrounding Mni To 

Wakpala—Blue Water Creek. They are 

the direct lineal descendants of 

Wakinyan Cikala—Little Thunder—a 

man who was amongst the leaders of 

that Lakota camp destroyed 153 years 

ago. Additional leaders who survived 

that morning include Iron Shell, Spotted Tail, and Red Leaf, each of whom 

also bore lineal descendants living 

upon Sicangu territories today. 

According to the family, oral history 

passed down through generations tells 

the story of the younger Little Thunder, a boy who survived the Massacre 

and subsequently journeyed to join his 

relatives once again. Without his survival, the Little Thunder Tiospaye 


rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with SENATE