E70 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks January 13, 2009 

Robert joined the Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps and is a member of the 

Arnold Air Society. He plans to continue his 

education and training to be of service as a 

U.S. Air Force test pilot. On December 18, 

2008, Robert successfully completed the Carl 

A. Spaatz Exam, the final stage of a long and 

grueling journey through 16 rigorous skill tests. 

Having overcome this final obstacle, he now 

joins the ranks of the Civil Air Patrol’s best 

and brightest as a recipient of the General 

Carl A. Spaatz Award for outstanding cadets. 

f 

HONORING MARK THORNTON 

HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH 

OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, January 13, 2009 

Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I rise 

today to congratulate Mark Thornton upon his 

retirement as Tuolumne County Supervisor, 

District IV. Supervisor Thornton was honored 

by the Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors 

during a regularly scheduled board of supervisors meeting held on December 16, 2008. 

Mark Thornton moved to Tuolumne County 

in 1976 after earning his bachelor’s of arts degree in sociology from California State University, Fullerton. He spent many years as a historian and consultant, working with local, State 

and Federal agencies on various projects. He 

was an active participant in the public arena 

and served in several leadership positions including the Groveland Community Service District Board of Directors from 1979 through November 1983; Tuolumne County Historic Preservation Review Commission from September 

1990 through January 1997; Tuolumne County 

Blue Ribbon Growth Management Committee 

from 1993 through 1995; Oak Grove Cemetery 

District from May 1995 through January 1997. 

In 1996 Mr. Thornton decided to run for a seat 

on the Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors 

to represent District IV. His election was a 

close one; he beat the incumbent by less than 

10 votes. 

Over the last 12 years as a supervisor, Mr. 

Thornton has worked tirelessly to protect the 

rural quality of life in his district while allowing 

for cautious expansion. His passion has been 

the protection of the county’s historic and cultural resources. Some of his biggest impacts 

have been in the areas of transportation, 

health care and airport and land use planning. 

He has supported economic growth by gaining 

an improved coach ordinance, providing an 

open forum for discussing the building permit 

process and encouraging reasonable changes 

to the county’s long standing agricultural 

guidelines. In Supervisor Thornton’s most recent term he was a strong advocate for the 

expansion of the telecommunication infrastructure in Tuolumne County. 

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend 

and congratulate Supervisor Mark Thornton 

upon his retirement from the Tuolumne County 

Board of Supervisors. I invite my colleagues to 

join me in wishing Supervisor Thornton many 

years of continued success. 

TRIBUTE TO KAREN RICE, ASSISTANT IDAHO FALLS DISTRICT 

MANAGER, BLM 

HON. MICHAEL K. SIMPSON OF IDAHO

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, January 13, 2009 

Mr. SIMPSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today 

to honor an exceptional public land manager 

in my district, Karen Rice, the Assistant Idaho 

Falls District Manager of the Bureau of Land 

Management, who is being recognized this 

week as the Public Lands Foundation’s Outstanding Public Lands Professional Technician 

for 2008. 

Now in its 20th year, the Public Lands 

Foundation award is an important recognition 

for special achievement by professional public 

land technicians and managers. The Public 

Lands Foundation is the only national membership organization dedicated solely to the 

protection and perpetuation of the National 

System of Public Lands under the administration of the BLM. It is a national nonprofit conservation organization whose members are 

primarily active and retired BLM employees. 

As a member of that organization, Ms. Rice 

has worked hard for over 10 years on projects 

that protect wildlife habitat and promote responsible recreational activities along the 

South Fork of the Snake River and in the 

Henry’s Lake Area of Critical Environmental 

Concern. 

I am honored to take part in recognizing Ms. 

Rice today. I commend her for her tremendous efforts and dedication to such a crucial 

and worthwhile effort. Her efforts are paving 

the way for a more beautiful state and a more 

conservation-minded world. 

f 

PERSONAL EXPLANATION 

HON. KAY GRANGER OF TEXAS

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, January 13, 2009 

Ms. GRANGER. Madam Speaker, on rollcall 

Nos. 8 and 9 I was absent from the House on 

official district business. Had I been present, I 

would have voted ‘‘no.’’ 

f 

REPORT ON THE IMPERIAL 

PRESIDENCY OF GEORGE W. BUSH 

HON. JOHN CONYERS, JR. OF MICHIGAN

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, January 13, 2009 

Mr. CONYERS. Madam Speaker, today I 

have received a report prepared by the majority staff of the House Judiciary Committee, 

Committee, detailing numerous abuses by the 

Bush administration over the past 8 years, and 

recommending a number of steps to restore 

an appropriate Constitutional balance of power 

between the executive and legislative 

branches. 

The report, based largely on oversight activities of the Judiciary Committee, and other 

committees, over the course of the 110th Congress, is titled ‘‘Reining in the Imperial Presidency: Lessons and Recommendations Relating to the Presidency of George W. Bush.’’ 

Issues examined include: The politicization 

of the Department of Justice; assaults on individual liberty, including extreme interrogation, 

extraordinary rendition, and warrantless wiretapping of U.S. citizens; the misuse of executive branch regulatory authority and Presidential signing statements; misleading manipulation of pre-Iraq War intelligence; improper retaliation against Administration critics; and excessive secrecy, including non-compliance 

with congressional oversight. 

The report examines how the Bush Administration’s legal approach to presidential power 

has eroded the Constitutional system of 

checks and balances designed by the Framers 

to preserve our liberty. It also recommends 

specific steps that this Congress and the incoming Obama administration should take to 

restore those checks and balances. 

I am having the report posted to the Judiciary Committee Web site, in order to make it 

available to other members of the committee, 

to the full House, and to the American public. 

I believe this report will be of tremendous 

benefit helping inform the changes we must 

make going forward—to repair the damage to 

our democracy, and to prevent similar abuses 

from occurring in the future. 

f 

PERSONAL EXPLANATION 

HON. BRIAN BAIRD 

OF WASHINGTON

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, January 13, 2009 

Mr. BAIRD. Madam Speaker, unfortunately, 

due to record flooding in my congressional 

district and across Washington State, I was 

unable to be present on January 9, 2009 for 

votes. I take my voting responsibility very seriously. Had I been present, I would have voted 

‘‘yea’’ on final passage of H.R. 11, the Lilly 

Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. I would also have 

voted ‘‘aye’’ on final passage of H.R. 12, the 

Paycheck Fairness Act. I am an original cosponsor of both bills, voted for their passage 

in the 110th Congress, and have been a 

strong and consistent supporter of legislation 

to end gender-based wage discrimination. I 

strongly oppose all forms of discrimination and 

believe that we must act to restore the right 

for women to challenge wage discrimination. 

I was also not able to cast a vote on H. 

Res. 34, Recognizing Israel’s right to defend 

itself against attacks from Gaza, reaffirming 

the United States strong support for Israel, 

and supporting the Israeli-Palestinian peace 

process. I have traveled to the region and met 

the families and individuals who are affected 

by the cycle of violence that continues to claim 

lives and wreak havoc on all sides of this conflict. As we continue to witness the humanitarian crisis spiral out of control in Gaza, and 

while rocket attacks persist against Israel, we 

are reminded that it is imperative for the 

United States to play a constructive role in 

pursuing a legitimate peace process that provides security and stability to the many innocent people trapped in the midst of this untenable status quo. Therefore, I would have voted 

present on this resolution. 


rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with REMARKS