December 10, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E2381 

later, she was elected to the Colorado House 

of Representatives, and in 1996, she was 

elected to the state Senate. 

Elected to Congress in 2002, MARILYN

quickly stood out from her peers. She was 

named by Newsweek magazine as the ‘‘Rising 

Star’’ in the House and the National Journal 

referenced her as one of two freshman congressmen to watch. She is probably most 

known as the chief House sponsor of a proposed constitutional amendment banning 

same-sex marriage. 

In the U.S. House of Representatives, 

MARILYN has upheld her strong conservative 

views as a vocal member of the Republican 

Study Committee Caucus as well as founder 

of the Congressional Second Amendment 

Caucus. She served on the Small Business 

Committee and as chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Workforce, Empowerment, and 

Government Programs. 

As the top-ranking Republican on the Agriculture Committee’s Specialty Crops Subcommittee, MARILYN served as a member of 

the Farm Bill conference committee, where 

she was a leading voice in the crafting of the 

legislation. She worked to obtain nearly $3 billion in emergency funding for farmers and 

ranchers who have been plagued by a multitude of natural disasters over the past six 

years. 

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join 

me in recognizing a dedicated leader and 

friend to many in this body. I know her family, 

her husband, Steve; her four children, Chad, 

Becky, Amy, and John; and her many friends 

and colleagues join me in honoring her accomplishments and extending thanks for her 

service over the years on behalf of the State 

of Colorado and the United States of America. 

MARILYN will surely enjoy the well deserved 

time she now has to spend with her family and 

loved ones. I wish her the best of luck in all 

her future endeavors. 

f 

TRIBUTE TO LEE BASS 

HON. MARION BERRY OF ARKANSAS

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, December 10, 2008 

Mr. BERRY. Madam Speaker, I rise here 

today to pay tribute to a dear friend, Mr. Lee 

Bass. His successes are many, but it is his 

unabashed willingness to serve Arkansas that 

demands recognition. I am proud to honor Lee 

Bass for his 34 years of federal service as 

Chief of the Operations Division of the Little 

Rock Army Corps of Engineers. 

Mr. Bass holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil 

Engineering from the University of Arkansas 

and has completed postgraduate courses from 

the University of Arkansas, University of Denver and the University of Santa Clara. 

Bass is recognized as a leader throughout 

the Corps of Engineers and has received numerous performance awards in a variety of 

jobs and districts. He received two Hammer 

Awards from the Office of the Vice President 

of the United States and was once recognized 

as Civilian of the Year. His staff nominated 

him for Federal Manager of the Year in Arkansas, which he won. He was recognized and inducted into the Arkansas Academy of Civil Engineers. He is a past president and regional 

director of the State Chapter of the American 

Society of Civil Engineers. He was the chapter 

director of the Arkansas Society of Professional Engineers, and served in various offices 

of the Razorback Post of the Society of American Military Engineers. 

Lee Bass’s career has numerous milestones 

but he will be remembered most for his dedication to excellence and his vision of serving 

the Army Corps and his employees to the best 

of his ability. His wide-ranging experience in 

civil works activities far exceeded the norm 

and has allowed the region to plan, build and 

operate many water management projects in 

the Arkansas. 

On behalf of the Congress, I extend deep 

appreciation to Lee Bass for his decades of 

leadership and his dedication to the area’s infrastructure. We salute his efforts that have 

made Arkansas’ waterways safe and efficient 

and we thank him for making our state and 

nation a better place to work, live and raise a 

family. 

f 

RECOGNIZING ACTS OF COMPASSION AND THE SUPPORT OF A 

COMMUNITY 

HON. JERRY MORAN OF KANSAS

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, December 10, 2008 

Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Madam Speaker, 

make no mistake about it: what we do in this 

chamber, the decisions we make as Members 

of Congress, have far-reaching implications for 

the Americans we represent and people 

around the world. I sometimes worry, though, 

that citizens look first to government to solve 

problems rather than searching within themselves for the power to make a difference. I’d 

like to share with you a story about one family 

that proves the way we change the world happens one person at a time. 

Over the last several months, I have had 

the privilege of assisting a professor and his 

family attempt to make our world a better 

place. Dr. John Simmons, a life sciences instructor at Barton County Community College 

in Great Bend, Kansas, and his wife Lori, 

along with their four biological children, will 

travel to Ethiopia at the end of this month to 

adopt two orphaned sisters. 

Famine, AIDS, and other diseases have created a sad situation in Ethiopia where 25 percent of the children are orphaned by age 12. 

While orphanages do their best to provide for 

these children and see that young girls and 

boys have a bright future, what these children 

really need is a mom and dad who will care 

for them as their own. Few acts are more generous and loving than welcoming another as 

part of one’s own family. I have great respect 

for the Simmonses and all those who choose 

to adopt. 

While adopting 2 young girls is alone commendable, what sets John and Lori apart is 

their effort to serve other children at the orphanage and involve the Great Bend community in that mission. 

This summer, John launched a fundraising 

effort to feed and clothe children at the orphanage, purchase humanitarian supplies and 

pay for their shipping costs. John’s goal of 

raising $10,000 was accomplished primarily by 

selling ‘‘Barton to Africa’’ t-shirts for $30 each. 

The shirts were printed with ‘‘Barton’’ in Ethiopia’s official language on the front and a map 

of the United States on the back with a star 

in the center of the country, marking Barton 

County, Kansas. John even created more excitement for the fundraiser by promising to 

shave his head if the community helped him 

reach his goal by November 8. 

After nearly 5 months of speaking with civic 

clubs, church members, neighbors, colleagues 

and students, John exceeded his fundraising 

goal and at halftime of a Barton County Community College basketball game, he and Barton County Community College Admissions 

Representative Louie Ochoa had their heads 

shaved. 

I imagine most people would rest on such 

an accomplishment. But, John dreams of 

more. It is his hope that the trip to Ethiopia 

this month will be the beginning of a long-lasting relationship between Ethiopians and the 

citizens of Great Bend who joined him in his 

effort. John envisions providing orphans with 

educational opportunities at Barton County 

Community College. Doing so would not only 

offer disadvantaged children a brighter future 

but also further facilitate relationships between 

Kansans and Ethiopians. 

John’s fundraising effort raised awareness 

about the needs of others in a far corner of 

the world. It galvanized the community around 

a common goal and showed that when people 

work together, there is no limit on what can be 

accomplished. 

I rise today to commend and congratulate 

John and Lori Simmons, their family and the 

citizens of Great Bend. Their compassion and 

effort will help make the lives of orphaned children in Ethiopia better. 

f 

RECOGNIZING THE HONORABLE 

CHRIS SHAYS ON THE OCCASION 

OF HIS RETIREMENT FROM THE 

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

HON. JO BONNER OF ALABAMA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, December 10, 2008 

Mr. BONNER. Madam Speaker, I rise today 

to honor the distinguished career of the Honorable CHRISTOPHER SHAYS for his service to 

the people of Connecticut and the United 

States House of Representatives. Congressman SHAYS has represented the Fourth Congressional District of the state of Connecticut 

for the past 22 years. 

Born in the city of Darien, CHRIS is a lifelong 

resident of the state of Connecticut, attending 

school at Principia College where he received 

his bachelor of arts in American history and 

political science. Following college, CHRIS and 

his wife, Betsi, spent two years in the Fiji Islands as Peace Corps volunteers. CHRIS later 

attended New York University where he received his master of business administration in 

1974, specializing in urban affairs and economics, followed by his master of public administration in 1978. 

CHRIS began his political career at the age 

of 29 in the Connecticut State House of Representatives, serving from 1975 to 1987. In 

1987, CHRIS was elected to the U.S. House of 

Representatives by a special election to fill the 

seat of the late Stewart McKinney. During his 

long career in Congress, CHRIS has served on