The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“HONORING DR. CLINTON VASSETT TURNER, SR.” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E528 on June 11, 2020.
The Department is primarily focused on food nutrition, with assistance programs making up 80 percent of its budget. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, said the Department implements too many regulations and restrictions and impedes the economy.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING DR. CLINTON VASSETT TURNER, SR.
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HON. A. DONALD McEACHIN
of virginia
in the house of representatives
Thursday, June 11, 2020
Mr. McEACHIN. Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to honor and recognize the esteemed Dr. Clinton Vassett Turner, Sr., a public servant and educator who dedicated his life to promoting the welfare of others.
Dr. Turner left a lasting legacy, and the Commonwealth of Virginia is indebted to him for his years of service to our institutions of higher education. I greatly admire his dedication to academia, and the capable leadership that he brought to the roles he assumed, including at Virginia State University, Virginia Tech, and the Virginia state government.
As the first African-American in the nation to hold a cabinet-level position in a state department of agriculture, Dr. Turner succeeded in the face of adversity and became a role model for young people across our Commonwealth. Dr. Turner was recognized countless times for his remarkable achievements, including receiving the 1994 Virginia Man of the Year Award, and the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Agricultural Alumni Organization Distinguished Service Citation. I am especially pleased to see his name memorialized as the first Virginian in the George Washington Carver Public Service Hall of Fame.
Dr. Turner challenged us to work with humble devotion to improve the lives of those around us, and I have no doubt that his legacy will continue to inspire generations of young men and women to pursue a life of service through academic excellence.
Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in expressing our deepest condolences to Dr. Turner's family, and in honoring his life's work.
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