November 20, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S10733 

Dr. Tegnelia has been a great asset to 

the DTRA and to the protection of our 

Nation. My wife Nancy and I wish Dr. 

Tegnelia and his family the best in his 

retirement and subsequent return to 

our great State of New Mexico.

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∑ 

IOWA DEPARTMENT OF 

EDUCATION 

∑ Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, in Iowa 

and across the United States, a new 

school year is well underway. 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 several dedicated 

public servants at the Iowa Department of Education, and to report on 

their successful involvement 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 Iowa 

Department of Education, 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 Federal funding has made a real 

difference for the 304 Iowa school districts that have received Harkin grants 

over the past decade. The grants have 

helped school districts from Waukon to 

Glenwood and from Keokuk to Rock 

Rapids build new schools, add new 

classrooms, renovate facilities and 

bring buildings up to fire codes. 

The progress we have witnessed is 

due, in large part, to the hard work and 

leadership of the Iowa Department of 

Education. When this program began, 

the department did not have experience 

in administering a grant program of 

this kind, but key personnel stepped up 

to plate to create and implement the 

successful program we have today. 

In the last 10 years, department staff 

have received, reviewed, processed and 

scored 1,370 grant applications which 

resulted in 820 grant awards and completion of 773 projects. The department 

processed thousands of payment requests for project costs, conducted 

more than 300 site visits to monitor the 

program and provided the professional 

administration that taxpayers deserve. 

I salute the entire staff, administration, and governance of the Iowa Department of Education for their excellent work. In particular, I would like 

to recognize C. Milton Wilson, Leland 

Tack, Ann McCarthy and Ted Stilwill 

for their leadership in helping create 

the program in 1998. They provided a 

strong foundation that was built on by 

their highly capable successors—Gary 

Schwartz, Janice Evans, Jeff Berger, 

Jim Addy and Judy Jeffrey. 

I would also like to express my appreciation to the individuals who have 

served on the School Budget Review 

Committee—Cynthia Eisenhauer, Michael Tramontina, Charlie Krogmeier, 

Clark Yeager, Wayne Drexler, Marilyn 

Perkins, Connie Cook, Su McCurdy, 

Don Hansen, and Jane Babcock—for 

their skilled oversight of the program 

and to the Iowa State Board of Education for their leadership and support. 

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 ultra 

modern 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 at the Iowa Department of Education. There is no question that a quality public education for 

every child is a top priority in our 

state. I salute them and wish them 

well.∑ 

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CONGRATULATING THE WASHINGTON PAVILION OF ARTS AND 

SCIENCE 

∑ Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, today 

I honor the board of directors and dedicated staff at the Washington Pavilion 

of Arts and Science in Sioux Falls, SD, 

on their accreditation by the American 

Associate of Museums. Since its creation in 1999, the Washington Pavilion 

of Arts and Science has provided education and inspiration to those of all 

ages in the Sioux Falls region. 

The Washington Pavilion has three 

main program areas, all designed to 

make art and science a part of everyday life. The Kirby Science Discovery 

Center introduces visitors to things 

like hands-on archeology, weather, and 

space shuttles. The Wells Fargo 

CineDome Theatre allows viewers to 

travel the universe or witness nature 

in vivid detail. Lastly, the Visual Arts 

Center brings art to all generations 

with its six galleries and changing exhibits. 

I wish to congratulate the Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science on 

reaching this milestone in their mission, and for their service to the community. Once again, I commend the individuals involved in this enterprise 

and am pleased to see them publicly 

honored with accreditation by the 

American Association of Museums.

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∑ 

TRIBUTE TO WILLIAM D. 

WAGONER 

∑ Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I welcome this opportunity to commend 

William D. Wagoner of Royal Oak, MI, 

who last week retired from a long and 

distinguished career in public service. 

For the past 35 years, Dr. Wagoner 

dedicated his career to the public good, 

working to establish innovative and 

sustainable practices in urban planning, emergency management, and 

teaching the next generation of planners and emergency responders. His extraordinary career spanned the entire 

spectrum of government service, from 

the local level to the Federal level. 

Dr. Wagoner began his career in service by teaching history and political 

science at a public high school in 

Clarkston, MI. He went on to earn his 

master’s degree in urban planning and 

his doctorate in public administration. 

For 18 productive years, he served as 

assistant city manager in Berkley, MI, 

a large suburb of Detroit, and for the 

past 16 years has been director of planning and community development for 

Livingston County, the fastest growing 

county in Michigan. Dr. Wagoner has 

written several books on urban planning and emergency response, and has 

served for decades as an instructor for 

the Federal Emergency Management 

Agency. 

President Kennedy asked a generation of Americans to give of themselves 

for our country and for its future. Dr. 

Wagoner answered President Kennedy’s 

call and has inspired countless others, 

who have worked with him or who have 

been his students, to do the same. I 

congratulate Dr. Wagoner for his remarkable public service, and I wish 

him a long and healthy and happy retirement. He has served America well.

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∑ 

TRIBUTE TO STANLEY E. REED 

∑ Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, it is 

with great pleasure that I rise today to 

honor and recognize over 25 years of 

service by Stanley E. Reed to our great 

State of Arkansas. A third-generation 

cotton farmer from Marianna, AR, 

Stanley has served the Arkansas agriculture community with steady leadership for over 20 years as a member of 

the Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation 

board, including the last five as president. At the upcoming Farm Bureau 

State Convention on December 4, Stanley will hand over the gavel as president, and I wanted to take this opportunity to recognize his many contributions to our State. 

Born in Marianna in 1951, Stanley attended the University of Arkansas 

where he graduated in 1973 with a degree in Agricultural Engineering and 

was awarded Highest Honors. Although 

Stanley was a tremendous student, he 

also displayed his leadership skills 


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