[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 154 (Friday, September 26, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2021-E2022]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING THE HONORABLE BUD CRAMER AND THE HONORABLE TERRY EVERETT ON
THEIR RETIREMENT FROM CONGRESS
______
speech of
HON. MIKE ROGERS
of alabama
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I respectfully request to include
the accompanying article in the Congressional Record to supplement my
remarks which were entered during the Special Order in honor of two
Members of the Alabama delegation who are retiring.
[From the Dothan Magazine, March/April 2008]
Man of the House--Congressman Terry Everett, Dothan's voice in the US.
House of Representatives, Earned Respect from all Sides as an Honorable
Legislator During his Sixteen years in Washington, DC. Now He's Coming
Home
(By Ann Varnum)
Congressman Terry Everett recently shared a laugh with the
audience at a luncheon for the Dothan Area Chamber of
Commerce. Back in 1992 when he started his campaign for
Congress, the polls indicated that he only had four-percent
name recognition throughout Southeast Alabama. That fact was
made no less comforting by his lovely wife, Barbara, who was
quick to point out that the poll had a plus or minus accuracy
rating of four percent, so Terry's true name recognition
actually fell within the margin of error.
Of course, that was sixteen years ago, and all of that has
radically changed. Terry Everett has become one of the most
respected congressmen on Capitol Hill. One of the reasons for
this is his innate ability to reach across the aisle and make
friends even though the opposite side most certainly had
completely different viewpoints from his own. He has earned
the greatest respect from Republicans and Democrats alike.
During his almost sixteen years in Congress to date,
Representative Everett has been known as an honest legislator
and true gentleman. Reading through transcripts of the House
Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces hearing from
May of 2007, it is quite evident how much Congressman Everett
is respected by his colleagues.
California Democrat Representative Ellen Tauscher, the
chairwoman of the subcommittee, opened the legislative
hearing by referring to Everett's prior service: ``I'd like
to begin by saying it has been an absolute pleasure crafting
this mark with my friend, Mr. Everett . . . He has been both
cooperative and straightforward. Thank you very sincerely,
Mr. Everett.''
In 2001, when Representative Joseph Moakley, a Democrat
from Massachusetts, died, a special memorial was held in the
House Chambers. Democrat Representative Richard Neal, also
from Massachusetts, remarked that Moakley was ``. . . an old
school Democrat. But do you know who he liked to have dinner
with? This is going to kill them in Alabama when they find
this out, the voters down there--Sonny Callahan, Terry
Everett--that was the group he assembled with after hours. He
enjoyed their company socially and loved their stories about
Alabama and how they had come to Washington.''
There is no doubt that Everett had a gift of making friends
out of even total political opponents. He never wavered from
his ideals
[[Page E2022]]
and conservative viewpoint, but it never interfered with
making friends.
Perhaps his outstanding record in Congress had been forged
earlier by the many roles Everett played in other areas of
achievement before launching his political career.
Terry Everett was born February 15, 1937, in Dothan but
grew up in Midland City. After high school, Terry served in
the U.S. Air Force as an intelligence analyst in Europe in
1955. After serving his country in the military, Everett
returned to Dothan in 1959 to embark on the career that would
dominate more than half of his life--journalism.
He began as a farm and police beat reporter and sports
writer for The Dothan Eagle. He would later achieve success
as editor, publisher and finally owner of a chain of hometown
newspapers, which he sold in the late 1980's. Terry Everett's
first elected position was not in public office, but rather
as President and Chairman of the Board of the Alabama Press
Association. While a local newspaper publisher, the
Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) at Fort Rucker twice
nominated him for ``Army Civilian of the Year.'' Yet many
would say the greatest milestone was not related to
journalism or politics.
On December 16, 1965, Terry Everett's life was about to
take on a brand new dimension. A mutual friend, Jeanette
Comstock, introduced Terry to a bright, energetic young woman
named Barbara.
After the couple started dating, Barbara and her parents
were surprised to learn that Terry had decided to leave his
job at The Dothan Eagle and start his own newspaper business.
Convinced he was making a huge mistake, Barbara admits that
she was a little upset about his plans. ``At that time,'' she
says, ``I didn't know Terry well enough to know that when he
said he was going to do something, he already knew how he
would do it.'' On October 18, 1969, the Everetts were married
at Cloverdale Baptist Church in Dothan.
``Over the years, Terry has shocked me with several other
total-change-of-life declarations, and for some reason, it
has always been a surprise to me. I, at least, eventually
learned to expect that he would be successful. He started the
newspaper and I worked beside him, learning the newspaper
business from scratch. During the long hours of work, I
learned to trust, respect and eventually love this shy man of
few words,'' says Barbara.
The two continued to work side by side until there was
another event that again radically changed the direction of
their lives.
Barbara explains, ``One evening in early 1992, Terry and I
were watching the six o'clock news when Congressman Bill
Dickinson made the announcement that after holding Alabama's
Second Congressional District seat in the U.S. House of
Representatives for twenty-eight years, he was retiring.
Afterwards, Terry turned the television off and looked at me
and said, ``I am going to run for Congress.'' Although I knew
Terry was very knowledgeable about government, the history of
politics, and current events from his years of newspaper
experience, I had never heard him say he had any desire to
run for office himself. Unfortunately, my first comment was,
`Who will vote for you?'
Since both Terry and Barbara really were committed, first
to each other, and second, to a deep love for our country,
the first ``Everett for Congress'' campaign was begun.
Terry's first political slogan was ``Send a message not a
politician!'' Barbara believes it is still what he believes
after all these years. It was late in the evening when
Everett answered a phone call telling him all the votes were
in and counted. Terry Everett was declared the new
Congressman for Congressional District Two.
Both Everetts admit that there are challenges and rewards
every day for people involved in holding a public office.
Barbara says with all the peaks and valleys, the rewards far
outweigh the difficulties. Having the support of people from
southeast Alabama who say they love and respect Terry Everett
and that they are praying for him every day is truly
appreciated.
In early 2000, Barbara was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Because Terry wanted to be with her during her treatment, the
couple decided to have her surgery at Johns Hopkins in
Baltimore, Maryland, which was only forty-five minutes away
from the Everett's home in Washington. In March of 2000,
while undergoing all of her procedures, hundreds of cards,
phone calls, letters and gifts poured in to support
Congressman and Mrs. Everett. One obvious fact was that so
much of the concern was expressed from the liberal side of
the political spectrum, showing the positive impact the
Everett's had on their colleagues in Congress.
When asked about her life with Terry Everett, Barbara
confides, ``From the day we met until today I don't think
Terry has changed one bit. If he tells you something, he will
keep his word. If you believe in something, he respects you
for it whether he agrees or not. He is the personification of
a true public servant and statesman. I hope that, more than
anything else, this will be the legacy for which he will be
remembered.''
Four years ago this August, Terry Everett had a bad case of
shingles. Because of this, the nerves in his foot have been
severely damaged so that he has suffered difficulty in
walking. Even though Everett admits he is in good health,
traveling back and forth from D.C. is becoming more difficult
for him since he has the problem with walking. After
discussing it with his wife, Barbara, and his chief of staff
Wade Heck, Everett made the decision not to seek re-election
after his present term is completed.
Mrs. Everett insists that she did not persuade her husband
one way or the other in his decision. She adds, ``The last
sixteen years have literally been a journey of joy, and we
are so honored and humbled to have been given this
opportunity. But Terry is wise enough to know that life is
made up of change and the time has come for our lives to
change once again on a new journey. I can't wait to see what
comes next. The only thing I can say with certainty is life
with Terry has never been boring.''
The Everetts have lived in a beautiful new Southern farm
home on 400 acres of farmland near Rehobeth since 2001.
According to Barbara, there are still so many things that
need to be done around the house. Now, maybe they will have
more time to actually do all their special projects. Barbara
Everett herself stays busy working as Chairman of Governor
Bob Riley's Task Force to Strengthen Alabama Families. It has
the goal of restructuring the present Health and Human
Service System in Alabama in order to do the best possible
job of providing real help to Alabama's families.
Joe Williams, Congressman Everett's staff member in the
Dothan office, says, ``Mrs. Everett is the Congressman's best
kept secret, though her dedicated work on so many community
issues over the years is hardly a secret anymore. Not only is
Mrs. Everett a capable leader in many causes, but she is
driven by a passion for those initiatives.''
Both of the Everetts have genuine compassion, strength of
character, willingness to give of themselves in the service
of others and the ability to get things done in a timely
fashion. For all of that, Alabama's citizens of District Two
will be forever grateful.
Here are some of Congressman Everett's key accomplishments
in office:
First Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on
Strategic Forces (currently the Ranking Republican member)
Authored the current federal peanut title in 2002 Farm Bill
Secured $250 million for new Fort Rucker construction since
1993, including the landmark new Soldier Service Center,
Soldier Barracks, Post Headquarters, Base Family Housing
Renovation, and Warrior Hall Flight Simulator Facility
Advocated Creation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Center
of Excellence at Ft. Rucker and the funding for the U.S. Army
Flight School XXI
Secured over $40 million since 1993 for Dothan I-10
Connector project
Secured $2.5 million in 2001 to modernize Dothan Regional
Airport runway, taxiway, remove old terminal
Secured $202,000 in federal funds in 2003 for Multi-Purpose
Arena at National Peanut Festival Fairgrounds
Secured $19.2 million in federal funding to rebuild the
Elba and Geneva levees
Secured ``Free Trade Zone'' designations to reduce import-
export costs for Dothan industrial areas, including the Sony
plant.
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