November 19, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E2277 

In addition to the accomplishments already 

noted, Brian served as a pivotal staffer and organized escorts for two Honor Flight trips. 

Honor Flight brought 203 World War II heroes 

to visit Washington, DC’s war memorials. He 

also assisted me in high level meetings with 

the Ambassadors from the Republic of Korea 

and Mauritania. He served as an outstanding 

ambassador of the United States Air Force, 

and I was proud to have him as an integral 

part of my staff. 

Brian excelled in every area and exceeded 

all fellowship expectations. While I am saddened that he will soon leave my office, I am 

delighted that Brian was selected for Squadron Command. I have no doubt that he will 

excel in this role as a Commander, and I will 

feel comfortable knowing that the lives of our 

Airmen are in his hands. Vicki and I wish 

Brian, his wife, Suzanne, and their children, 

Meagan, Cory, Gabe, and Emily our best 

wishes for future success and happiness. 

f 

HONORING MARSHALL FRITZ 

HON. RON PAUL OF TEXAS

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 

Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay 

tribute to my friend Marshall Fritz who passed 

away on Tuesday, November 4, after a long 

battle with pancreatic cancer. Marshall was a 

true champion of freedom whose impact on 

the cause of liberty will be felt for years to 

come. 

Marshall, with his booming voice and good 

humor, was the happy warrior of the freedom 

movement, as well as the movement’s Will 

Rogers. Marshall never met a fellow fighter for 

liberty, a single-issue ally, or a potential convert he did not like—and to Marshall anyone 

who did not already share his love of liberty 

was a potential convert. 

Marshall was a model of an ideological/political entrepreneur. In 1984, Marshall saw that 

the growth of the freedom movement was 

handicapped by the lack of an organization to 

help activists better communicate the freedom 

philosophy to the general public. While Marshall was not the first person to have this realization, he was the first person to attempt to 

remedy the situation by founding Advocates 

for Self-Government, an organization designed 

to teach activists how to effectively communicate their principles. 

In the years since Marshall founded the Advocates for Self-Government, the organization 

has helped countless libertarians by providing 

them with the intellectual resources necessary 

to effectively battle for a free society. 

While serving as president of the Advocates, Marshall created the World’s Smallest 

Political Quiz. The quiz graphs an individual’s 

political philosophy based on responses to a 

series of 10 questions that measure one’s 

commitment to economic and personal liberty. 

Under Marshall’s leadership, the Advocates 

undertook an aggressive program of distributing the quiz. There is no doubt that this has 

been the Advocate’s most successful and popular program. The quiz is responsible for many 

Americans’ first contact with libertarian ideas. 

While traveling around the country, I have 

often heard people say, ‘‘I never knew I was 

a libertarian until I took the quiz!’’ 

In 1990, Marshall stepped down as president of the Advocates to found the Alliance for 

the Separation of School and State, an organization focusing on the vital issue of parental 

control of education. Thanks in large part to 

Marshall’s work, the idea that parents, not the 

government, should control education is no 

longer excluded from public debate as a 

‘‘fringe’’ notion. One of the features that most 

impresses me about the Alliance is the way 

that Marshall brought libertarians, conservatives, liberals together to work for education 

freedom. 

Anyone who knew Marshall and worked with 

him would not be surprised that he was able 

to forge a coalition of people of diverse views. 

Marshall’s focus was always on building alliances and trying to persuade those with whom 

he disagreed, rather than on scoring debating 

points. While he never compromised his principles and never hesitated to criticize even his 

closet allies if they took what he considered 

an anti-liberty position, Marshall never personalized disagreements and always treated his 

opponents with courtesy and respect. I believe 

the freedom movement would be more successful if more libertarians followed Marshall’s 

example of never turning policy disagreements 

into personal attacks. 

All of us who care about building an effective freedom movement owe a debt of gratitude to Marshall Fritz. I join Marshall’s family 

in mourning his loss and I urge all of us who 

work for liberty to honor Marshall’s memory by 

following the example he set. 

f 

DANIEL W. BLANKENBURG 

HON. JOHN T. DOOLITTLE OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Madam Speaker, Daniel 

W. Blankenburg first came to Washington in 

1994. He began working in Congress for Rep. 

DON MANZULLO and then Rep. Tom Ewing. He 

then served as Legislative Director to Rep. 

JOHN SHIMKUS until he moved to the private 

sector to work for the National Federation of 

Independent Businesses. In 2005, Dan decided to return to public service, and I was fortunate enough to have him join our office. At 

that time, we were looking for a person to 

build coalitions and form alliances, and Dan’s 

impressive record made him the perfect candidate. 

In his role as Chief of Staff, Dan has made 

each decision with careful attention to ensure 

the best possible outcome. His meticulous approach, vast knowledge and inquisitive nature 

have been tremendous assets to me personally as well as to our entire organization. I am 

always confident that Dan leaves no stone 

unturned when making decisions on my behalf. 

Dan’s highly regarded character is demonstrated by his popularity around the capitol. 

It is difficult to walk down a hallway, enter an 

elevator or sit at a local restaurant with Dan 

without striking up a conversation with one of 

his many friends and acquaintances. While 

most of us simply wave or exchange salutations in passing, Dan takes the time to catch 

up with friends whenever possible. There is 

even a chance for encounters with complete 

strangers if they happen to be wearing a 

Bears or Cubs hat. 

While Dan’s professionalism is truly impressive, his personal qualities are also admirable. 

Dan often speaks fondly about his family: he 

enjoys visiting his parents, Millie and Dan, 

along with his grandmother, Mildred, in Colorado. Dan speaks with great pride about his 

brothers, Jason and Chip, and his sister, 

Jodie. He enjoys being an uncle to his nephew, Parken, and his nieces, Jodie and Mattes. 

Perhaps most notably, Dan relishes every opportunity he can find to talk about his lovely 

wife Cate, whom he truly adores. 

Dan is a man of great talents, and I know 

he will do well in whatever future opportunities 

he pursues. I wish him all the best wherever 

life may take him. 

f 

HONORING HARRIS FARMS 

HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 

Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I rise 

today to honor Harris Farms upon being honored with the 2008 Baker, Peterson and 

Franklin Ag Business Award. Harris Farms 

was honored at a luncheon November 5, 2008 

held at the Radisson Conference Center in 

Fresno, CA. 

Harris Farms was founded in 1937 by Jack 

and Teresa Harris on 320 acres of prime land 

in the central California’s San Joaquin Valley. 

Over the past 70 years, Harris Farms has 

grown to cover thousands of acres and has 

become one of the most vertically integrated, 

diversified and largest agribusinesses in the 

U.S. Harris Farms has grown to include Harris 

Ranch Beef Company, Harris Feeding Company, Harris Fresh, Harris Ranch Restaurant, 

Harris Farms-Thoroughbred, Harris Ranch Inn 

and Harris Ranch Online Country Store. 

Today, under the direction of John and Carole Harris, the operation produces 33 crops including everything from carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, garlic, onions, citrus, nuts and grapes. 

Harris Ranch Beef and Harris Feeding companies have earned a reputation as two of the 

largest and most innovative firms in the industry, pioneering the development of branded 

beef and value-added beef products. Their 

thoroughbred division breeds, trains and races 

thoroughbred horses at tracks across the 

county. The Harris Ranch Inn and Restaurant 

serves 2,000 guests per day and showcases 

their beef products and produce. Harris Farms 

is one of the largest employers in the Coalinga 

area with 1,500 hundred employees. 

Harris Farms received the 2002 Fresno Bee 

Excellence in Business Award. John Harris 

has been recognized by his peers with State 

Fair Agriculturist of the Year, Livestock Man of 

the Year and Cattle Businessman of the Year. 

He serves on the California Horseracing 

Board, Western Growers Board and is past 

president of the American Cattleman Association and the California Thoroughbred Breeders 

Association. He is past chair of the St. Agnes 

Hospital Foundation Board. He has also 

served on the University of California, Davis 

Foundation, Alumni Boards and the University 

of California President’s Agriculture Advisory 

Board. Carole Harris is a member of La Feliz 

Children’s Hospital Guild and past member of 

the Fresno County Historical Society Board. 

Mr. and Mrs. Harris are involved with countless organizations and annually award scholarships to children of employees. 


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