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“TRIBUTE TO MR. ROBERT K. REAVES, OUTSTANDING PUBLIC SERVANT AND CONSERVATION LEADER” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E2246 on Jan. 2, 2001.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
TRIBUTE TO MR. ROBERT K. REAVES, OUTSTANDING PUBLIC SERVANT AND
CONSERVATION LEADER
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HON. JOHN JOSEPH MOAKLEY
of massachusetts
in the house of representatives
Friday, December 15, 2000
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute the leadership and outstanding public service of a member of our federal workforce.
After nearly 45 years of service, Robert K. Reaves will retire on January 3, 2001 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service. In his role in public service, Bob set an example for everyone with a strong commitment to excellence, dedication to integrity, and an enthusiasm for conservation of natural resources.
Mr. Reaves was born and raised in the Washington, DC area and spent time in his youth working on his Uncle's tobacco farm in North Carolina. He attended George Washington University and received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
In February of 1956 he began federal service with United States Geological Survey as a chemical technician in water quality. In May of 1969, Bob joined the United States Department of Agriculture's Research Service, as a program analyst. He served the Department in several capacities related to the budget development.
In 1981, Bob joined the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
(NRCS). For nearly two decades, Bob provided top-level expertise on conservation issues, including serving as the Budget Officer for NRCS. In 1997-98, Mr. Reaves was a key advisor in the USDA Civil Rights review and helped develop budget initiatives to support Civil Rights initiatives and several other key areas of Department Administration.
In his role with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Mr. Reaves has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to public awareness of conservation issues, and has served as a source of expertise on national issues for executive branch and legislative branch officials alike. He is also a leading advocate for conservation funding, and has appeared before committees of this Congress on several occasions to support private lands conservation. The individual accomplishments of Mr. Reaves are many, but his years of service are a testament to his dedication, integrity and commitment to his work.
After 45 years of federal service, Bob will have a chance to share the fruits of retirement with his wife, Peggy and pursue hobbies including woodworking, and gardening. Although he will be missed by his colleagues at the Department and many friends here on Capitol Hill, we wish him the very best in his future pursuits. We thank him and salute him for a job well done and wish him well as he embarks upon new frontiers and endeavors that retirement will offer.
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