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“TRIBUTE TO NORANNE DOWNS, P.E.” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Transportation was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1625 on Dec. 7, 2016.
The Department handles nearly all infrastructure crisscrossing the country. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, said the Department should be privatized to save money, reduce congestion and spur innovation.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
TRIBUTE TO NORANNE DOWNS, P.E.
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HON. JOHN L. MICA
of florida
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to rise today to recognize and honor Ms. Noranne Downs, P.E. as she marks 25 years of service with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).
After eleven years of public works experience with the City of Daytona Beach and in the private sector, Ms. Downs was hired by FDOT in September of 1991 as a project manager. Her talent and ability were recognized, and in October of 2006, Ms. Downs was named District Five Secretary.
Soon after her joining FDOT 25 years ago, I was honored to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives to represent Florida's Seventh Congressional District and assigned, at my request, to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. While we worked together prior to this, our shared focus of maintaining Central Florida's infrastructure and preparing our region for the future cemented our bond and our friendship.
For over two decades, Noranne and I worked on the many transportation projects important to our community. Together we helped bring our region into the 21st Century and laid a solid foundation for Central Florida's infrastructure to thrive in the future. In addition to working to meet the Transportation requirements of one of America's fastest growing regions, I am extremely proud of our work together on projects such as SunRail which brought fixed commuter rail service to the region, the I-4 Ultimate and Beyond the Ultimate projects which will increase capacity and reimagine the main interstate roadway serving our area and updating our roadways and traffic management systems with the latest technologies to most effectively and efficiently manage traffic flows. Noranne played an integral role in these projects and so many more.
It is with much appreciation and admiration that I recognize my friend and a great public servant, Noranne Downs at this milestone in her career. It is also with regret that Noranne will be retiring from her position at FDOT in January 2017. Her pivotal work has truly left an indelible mark on Central Florida and our State.
I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Noranne Downs for her 25 years of service to our community and at FDOT, and in wishing her the best as she turns the page of her remarkable career.
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