December 10, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E2375 

tenure in office. With a flair for fiscal responsibility and innovative management, he is recognized as a leader throughout Oregon on transportation, health care, and economic development matters. He served as treasurer of the 

Association of Oregon Counties. He is a twoterm member of the Oregon State Housing 

Council. He twice served on the Connect Oregon 1 project selection committee and served 

as a member of the Governor’s Task Force on 

county payments relief In 2006, he accompanied Governor Ted Kulongoski as an official 

delegate representing Oregon counties on the 

Governor’s Trade Mission to Korea and 

Japan. He has also served as chair of the 

Central Oregon Community Investment Board 

of Directors and the Accountable Behavioral 

Health Alliance, and as a board member of 

Mosaic Medical, a regional community-based 

health care system serving low-income, underinsured families and individuals. He served as 

vice chair for the Economic Development for 

Central Oregon Advisory Board and two terms 

on the Central Oregon Area Transportation 

Committee. As you can see, Judge Cooper 

has never let much grass grow beneath his 

feet. 

Judge Cooper’s dedication to his community 

and state has not gone unnoticed. He is the 

past recipient of the State of Oregon’s Economic Development Professional of the Year 

Award, the Economic Development for Central 

Oregon Public Sector of the Year, the Association of Oregon Counties Outstanding Service Award, the University of Oregon’s Friend 

of Education Award and the Crook County 

High School ‘‘Pardner’’ Award. 

Judge Cooper has been strongly supported 

by his family and specifically his wife, Bend attorney Laura Craska Cooper, and their three 

wonderful daughters. Scott is an outstanding 

father and a terrific advocate for today’s youth. 

In addition to his family regularly hosting foreign exchange students, he likes to keep kids 

involved in government by delivering special 

talks in local schools and giving class tours at 

the Crook County Courthouse. 

In 1857, George H. Williams, a delegate to 

Oregon’s constitutional convention, argued 

about county judges, ‘‘Give us one competent 

man to administer the affairs of the county, 

whose compensation would enable him to devote his time to his duties, and we would have 

a much more satisfactory and economical administration of county affairs.’’ 

Madam Speaker, it is my honor to recognize 

my good friend, Judge Scott Cooper, who has 

proven he is that one competent man, and 

laud him for his years of dedicated public 

service, his numerous contributions to community and for his strong character as a citizen 

of Crook County, Oregon. Scott’s leadership 

for the county will be sorely missed, but he is 

a young and energetic man with many great 

years ahead of him and I look forward to his 

continued involvement in other leadership capacities in Oregon. 

f 

CELEBRATING DR. JAMES A. BOYD 

43RD PASTOR’S ANNIVERSARY 

HON. TRAVIS W. CHILDERS OF MISSISSIPPI

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, December 10, 2008 

Mr. CHILDERS. Madam Speaker, I rise 

today to honor a spiritual and community leader from my home state of Mississippi. Dr. 

James A. Boyd has been a pastor for Zion 

Gate Missionary Baptist Church for the past 

43 years, and has been an inspiration to the 

people not only in his parish, but also around 

the country. 

Dr. Boyd is a native of Oktibbeha County, 

Mississippi, and graduated from Oktibbeha 

Training School before earning a bachelor’s 

degree from Stillman College in 1964. He also 

attended Iowa State University and Mississippi 

State University. He received a doctorate of 

ministry at San Francisco Theological Seminary in San Anselmo, California. He also received a doctorate of divinity from Mary 

Holmes College in West Point, Mississippi, in 

2002. 

I wish to honor him by marking some of his 

many accomplishments. Throughout his time 

in Mississippi he has been president of the 

Northeast Mississippi Baptist State Convention, Inc., board member of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., past president of 

the Northeast Mississippi Baptist State S.S. 

and N.B.C. Congress, both a trustee and 

chairman of the Ministerial Institute and College, homiletic instructor at the Ministerial Institute and College, lecturer for the Mt. Olivet 

District Association, evangelist for revivals, 

seminars and conferences across the nation. 

Today we can all take the time to remember 

Dr. Boyd’s hard work, leadership, and selfless 

devotion to the Lord, as well as to the people 

of his congregation. 

f 

HONORING MOLLY LLOYD 

HON. LEE TERRY OF NEBRASKA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, December 10, 2008 

Mr. TERRY. Madam Speaker, I rise to 

honor the accomplishments of my District Director Molly Lloyd. Molly recently celebrated 

10 years of service in my Omaha Congressional Office. She is a dedicated servant to 

the Second Congressional District of Nebraska. She works hard and deserves accolades. 

Molly Lloyd serves as my District Director in 

my Omaha Congressional Office. Molly knows 

how to lead and build an effective team, not 

to mention her stealth communication skills. 

Her talents and commitment to selfless public 

service are evident throughout the community. 

No one is more loved and respected than 

Molly Lloyd. 

Molly is a lifelong Nebraskan and was born 

to proud parents Kay and Bob Koozer in 

Omaha. She graduated from Westside High 

School and attended Hastings College where 

she earned a bachelor’s degree in communications in only 3 years. After college, she 

worked to elect Mayor Hal Daub for the city of 

Omaha and served as his director of public affairs until 1997. I was fortunate to gain her as 

a member of my congressional staff upon my 

election in 1998. She is mother of two beautiful daughters, Emma and Ellie and is married 

to her soul mate Mark Lloyd. 

Some questioned me for hiring someone so 

young to become the director of my Omaha 

office, but their criticisms were soon silenced 

as her talents and her commitment to selfless 

public service became obvious to the entire 

community. Her strong leadership skills and 

fierce dedication to conservative principles 

have served my office well. 

Molly knows her hometown inside and out 

and is an active member of the community, including volunteering and advocating for 

causes and organizations such as the Joslyn 

Foundation, the American Diabetes Association, and as a founder of the Leadership Circle 

to help the next generation of women leaders 

enter public service. 

I appreciate Molly’s friendship, and I respect 

her dedication and invaluable contributions 

over the past ten years. I am proud to call her 

a friend and to congratulate and honor her 

today for all that she has accomplished. 

f 

HONORING MURFREESBORO FIRE 

CHIEF DAVID BAXTER UPON HIS 

RETIREMENT 

HON. BART GORDON 

OF TENNESSEE

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, December 10, 2008 

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam 

Speaker, I rise today to honor Chief David 

Baxter who is retiring from the Murfreesboro 

Fire Department after 30 years of service. 

When David began his career as a firefighter in 1977, the Murfreesboro Fire Department consisted of 60 personnel and four fire 

halls. Today, David oversees 120 personnel 

and 11 fire halls. In addition to fighting fires, 

today’s personnel are certified to handle 

HAZMAT and extrication situations, and they 

are medically trained to be first responders. 

David worked with the Murfreesboro City 

Council and city administration to build one of 

Tennessee’s best fire departments, which he 

has led as chief for the last 20 years. 

In 1988, the year David became chief, the 

Murfreesboro Fire Department had a Class 4 

Insurance Service Organization rating. The 

ISO rating is a benchmark for measuring the 

effectiveness of a fire department’s fire-protection services—the lower the rating, the better. 

Today, the Murfreesboro Fire Department has 

a Class 2 rating, making it one of only two fire 

departments in Tennessee with this rating. 

David not only improved the fire department, 

but he also put policies in place that better ensure the safety of the Murfreesboro firefighters. 

Before David became the Fire Chief, firefighters were only required to wear coats and 

helmets when putting out fires. However, one 

of the first things David did upon becoming 

chief was necessitating that each firefighter 

within 10 feet of a fire be fully dressed in fire 

turnout gear and wear a self-contained breathing apparatus. 

David also initiated educational programs for 

schools and businesses and was a strong proponent of the installation of smoke detectors 

throughout the city. 

All of David’s efforts over the years have 

made the Murfreesboro community safer and 

better protected. 

Thank you David. I hope you have a happy 

retirement.