January 13, 2009 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E71 

CONGRATULATING SISTER ADRIAN 

BARRETT FOR A LIFETIME OF 

SERVICE TO THOSE IN NEED 

AND EXTENDING TO HER BEST 

WISHES FOR A WELL DESERVED 

RETIREMENT 

HON. PAUL E. KANJORSKI OF PENNSYLVANIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, January 13, 2009 

Mr. KANJORSKI. Madam Speaker, I rise 

today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues 

in the House of Representatives to pay tribute 

to Sister Adrian Barrett, IHM, an extraordinary 

woman whose capacity for caring for the poor 

is exceeded only by her selflessness and humility. 

Sister Adrian’s remarkable career of service 

began in 1949 when she became a sister of 

the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of 

Mary. 

After her early years teaching at schools in 

Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New York and 

working summers in Scranton ministering to 

poor children, Sister Adrian and an old acquaintance, Monsignor Joseph P. Kelly, created Project Hope, a summer camp for underprivileged youths, first at Pius X Seminary at 

Dalton and later at Camp St. Andrew in 

Tunkhannock. 

Sister Adrian returned to Scranton permanently in 1976 to work full time with low income families at United Neighborhood Center’s Progressive Center. She developed an 

annual Thanksgiving Dinner for the needy of 

the community, at first with 24 guests, now 

with more than 2,000. 

In 1985, she established Friends of the Poor 

with the stated objective of bringing together 

‘‘those who can give with those who have a 

need to receive.’’ 

Over the years, Sister Adrian has become a 

hero in the Scranton area, providing food, 

clothing, furniture and healthcare education 

and assistance to those in need and sponsoring an annual educational trip to Washington, DC, for underprivileged children. 

Mrs. Mary Lou Burne, one who has worked 

with and knows Sister Adrian well, observed 

recently that ‘‘She’s the heart of the poor in 

Scranton. She feels what they feel. She cries 

when they cry.’’ 

Retired local banking executive David 

Tressler, who has done volunteer work with 

Sister Adrian for more than 25 years, said she 

inspires with her unflagging, round-the-clock 

commitment to the poor and is not bashful 

about asking those with means to assist those 

without. 

‘‘She is a unique individual,’’ Mr. Tressler 

said. ‘‘She has time for anybody and everybody.’’ 

Now, as she approaches the age of 80, she 

has decided it is time to retire and hand her 

incredible work to a successor, Sister 

Maryalice Jacquinot, IHM. 

Sister Adrian once observed that the highest 

compliment anyone could pay her is to acknowledge that she tried to love and serve the 

poor and, in so doing, loved and served God. 

Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating Sister Adrian Barrett who truly has 

loved and served the poor and, in so doing, 

has improved the quality of life for countless 

souls and has inspired all of us to a heightened awareness of our calling to help our fellow man. 

IN HONOR OF THE SOUTH COBB 

HIGH SCHOOL BLUE EAGLE 

MARCHING BAND 

HON. DAVID SCOTT OF GEORGIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, January 13, 2009 

Mr. SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I 

rise today to congratulate and honor members 

of the South Cobb High School Blue Eagle 

Marching Band. Under the direction of Band 

Director Zachary Cogdill and with the support 

of Principal Dr. Grant Rivera, the faculty and 

students at South Cobb High School, these 

students were chosen to represent the great 

State of Georgia during the 56th Presidential 

Inaugural Parade next Tuesday. I am immensely proud of their dedication and diligent 

preparation for this occasion, as PresidentElect Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th 

President. Madam Speaker, I would like to 

submit for the record a copy of the official letter I submitted to the Armed Forces Inaugural 

Committee recommending South Cobb High 

School for participation in the parade: 

To Members of the Committee: 

I would like to recommend the South Cobb 

High School Blue Eagle Marching Band for 

participation in the 2009 Presidential Inaugural 

Parade. 

South Cobb’s marching band continues a 

long tradition of exemplary musical groups at 

the school. Under the outstanding leadership 

of Mr. Zachary Cogdill, the marching band 

program has increased to 60 students. This 

year, the Blue Eagle Marching Band has won 

11 trophies at two competitions, including Best 

in Class and Grand Champion in Class. 

This band also features a young man who 

suffers from leukodystrophy—a rare, progressive genetic disorder that affects the nervous 

system. Although he cannot march, he walks 

in front of the band and plays a single drumbeat throughout the band’s entire performance. His special role is the basis for the 

band’s theme—‘‘Heartbeat.’’ 

Lastly, most students have never been to 

Washington, DC and this would be an excellent for them to visit our Nation’s Capital. I 

look forward to meeting members of the 

marching band should they be selected for 

your events. I know they certainly have earned 

the opportunity to perform, and hope you will 

feel the same. 

Again, I encourage you to grant the South 

Cobb High School Blue Eagle Marching Band 

the opportunity to perform in January. Thank 

you for your consideration. 

Sincerely, 

DAVID SCOTT

Member of Congress 

This fall, the Blue Eagle Marching Band won 

11 trophies at two competitions, including Best 

in Class and Grand Champion in Class. They 

also performed at the Georgia Dome in Downtown Atlanta. With the support of the Atlanta 

community, the high school was able to raise 

$70,000 in five days for their trip. I am thankful 

for the generosity of my hometown and each 

individual who supported our students, financially and otherwise. 

On Friday night, the Blue Eagle Marching 

Band will depart Austell, Georgia for Washington, DC. For many, this will be a first visit 

to our Nation’s Capital. I wish them a safe 

journey and congratulations on this outstanding achievement. I am honored to represent such talented constituents. 

f 

TRANS-ATLANTIC LEGISLATORS’ 

DIALOGUE HOLDS 65TH MEETING 

UNDER LEADERSHIP OF THE 

HON. SHELLEY BERKLEY 

HON. HOWARD L. BERMAN OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, January 13, 2009 

Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, I would like 

to call the attention of my colleagues in the 

Congress to a successful meeting of the 

Transatlantic Legislators’ Dialogue, TLD, that 

was held in Miami, FL from December 6–8, 

2008. Chairwoman SHELLEY BERKLEY, the 

gentlelady from Nevada, has consistently provided dynamic and capable guidance to this 

important interparliamentary exchange. The 

TLD vice-chairmen, Representative JIM COSTA

from California and Representative CLIFF

STEARNS from Florida, should be commended 

for their leadership in helping to strengthen 

American relationships with our European colleagues. I also wish to thank the ranking 

member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, 

Representative ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, for 

being a gracious hostess of this meeting in 

her sunny district and ably assisting the delegation. 

Representatives BERKLEY, COSTA and 

STEARNS were joined by six other members at 

the Miami session. This bipartisan delegation—which also included Representative 

SHEILA JACKSON-LEE (D–TX), Representative 

LORETTA SANCHEZ (D–CA), Representative 

SUSAN DAVIS (D–CA), Representative PHIL

GINGREY (R–GA), Representative VIRGINIA

FOXX (R–NC), and Representative RON KLEIN

(D–FL)—ensured an informed and productive 

exchange of views with members of the European Parliament. 

The TLD serves as the formal response of 

the European Parliament and the U.S. Congress to the commitment in the New Transatlantic Agenda, NTA, of 1995 to enhance legislative ties between the European Union and 

the United States. Building on the existing 

interparliamentary relationship, the TLD involves bi-annual meetings between American 

and European legislators in order to discuss 

topics of mutual interest and foster transatlantic discourse. 

During this time of transition in the United 

States Government, it is particularly important 

that legislators continue to collaborate on the 

many important issues facing citizens on both 

sides of the Atlantic. The TLD discussions in 

Miami addressed a wide range of foreign policy challenges, focusing on the recent terrorist 

attacks in Mumbai as well as international efforts to address the ongoing challenges in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Members also discussed the current status of diplomatic initiatives regarding the Iranian nuclear threat and 

the repercussions of the Georgia-Russia conflict. American members responded to European concerns about data protection and the 

complexity of application procedures as part of 

the visa waiver program. During the discussion of regulatory initiatives being undertaken 

by the Transatlantic Economic Council, TEC, 

American members encouraged their European counterparts to address the EU ban on 


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