| Tribute To Chief Judy Bradshaw |
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| Tom Latham, R-IA |
| “Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the retirement of Des Moines Police Chief Judy Bradshaw, and to express my appreciation for her dedication and commitment to law enforcement. Since beginning her storied career as a police cadet in 1980, Chief Bradshaw has been an integral part of the Des Moines Police Department for more than three decades. As the Des Moines Police Department’s first female lieutenant, captain, major, and chief of police, Chief Bradshaw has continually broken new ground while both innovating and improving the department. Throughout her career, Chief Bradshaw has worked and supervised in every area of the department while developing several programs and policies. Since assuming the role of Chief of Police in 2007, Chief Bradshaw has revitalized the community’s relationship with the department and its officers. Two of her programs, the Community Ambassador Program and Mentoring Youth with Cops Program, incentivize productive relationships with at-risk youth and community leaders alike. Chief Bradshaw’s tenure has shown that when the Des Moines community and its police work together, great things are possible. Throughout her illustrious and lengthy career, Judy has never wavered in her commitment to justice and security. Chief Bradshaw is a testament to the high quality character instilled in Iowans, and the city of Des Moines owes her a great debt of gratitude for her service. While Judy’s leadership will be sorely missed, she leaves behind a more secure community that will continue to benefit from her service for years to come. Mr. Speaker, it has been a great honor to represent the brave men and women that comprise the Des Moines Police Department in the United States Congress. I thank Judy for her wonderful work and I wish her the best as she begins a new chapter in her life.” |
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| Legislative Session |
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| Tom Harkin, D-IA |
| “Mr. President, 24 years ago, on July 26, 1990, President George Herbert Walker Bush, in a glorious sun-filled day on the White House lawn, attended by more people than had ever attended a bill signing in the history of our country–President Bush signed into law the Americans with Disabilities Act, a bill broadly supported by Democrats and Republicans here in the Senate and in the House.” |
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| Legislative Session |
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| Tom Harkin, D-IA |
| “Mr. President, this is another sad, irresponsible day in the Senate. I say to my friend from Utah, he was here 2 years ago when we proposed the same exact unanimous consent request, and the Senator did not object.” |
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| Amending The Employee Retirement Income Security Act Of 1974 |
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| Tom Harkin, D-IA |
| “Mr. President, as chairman of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, the pension community approached me with their concerns that the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation was interpreting section 4062(e) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 too broadly. That provision was intended to protect pension plan participants in the event of a cessation of operations at a facility. However, the pension community was able to provide substantial evidence that the corporation’s enforcement efforts were out of line with congressional intent to such an extent that section 4062(e) had become a major impediment to businesses’ efforts to restructure. After a thorough review of the situation and consultation with employers, employees, retirees, and the Obama administration, it became abundantly clear that enforcement efforts under section 4062(e) were failing to protect either pensions or the corporation.” |
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| Privileges Of The Floor |
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| Tom Harkin, D-IA |
| “Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Scott Robertson, a fellow with the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee be granted floor privileges for the remainder of today’s session, and that Brent Becker and Ben Strube, interns with the committee also be granted floor privileges for today’s session.” |
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