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 PONDER MAYOR VIVIAN COCKBURN” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Transportation was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1723 on July 29, 2005.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING PONDER MAYOR VIVIAN COCKBURN
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HON. MICHAEL C. BURGESS
of texas
in the house of representatives
Friday, July 29, 2005
Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor my friend, Vivian Cockburn. The spirit, courage, and passion she exemplifies as mayor of Ponder, Texas, and in her fight against ovarian cancer and yearly participation in the Annual Ovarian Cancer Walk is inspirational.
Mayor Cockburn and her husband, Dan, have made Ponder, Texas, their home for the past 33 years. They were proud to raise their four children--Danny, Amanda, Christina, and Peter--in Ponder and are now blessed with seven grandchildren.
Prior to becoming mayor, she was licensed as a vocational nurse for the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Justin in 1976. She then served as school nurse for the Ponder Independent School District in 1984 and for Brandenburg Elementary in Irving, Texas, in 1997. Before serving at Brandenburg, Mayor Cockburn returned to school and received her Registered Nurse's degree from Texas Women's University. .
Mayor Cockburn served on Ponder's Planning and Zoning Commission before being appointed as mayor by the Town Council on November 2, 2000. Because of her outstanding leadership and commitment to the community, she was elected in May 2001 and reelected in May 2003 and again in 2005.
As mayor, she has played a key role in making a positive impact on the lives of the citizens of Ponder through her strong initiatives of repairing the streets and community for the children, handicapped, and the elderly. Among her accomplishments, the town, under her superior guidance, was able to remodel city offices to become handicap accessible, implement a recycling program for its residents, and communicate with the Texas Department of Transportation to push for the repairs of State Highway 156. With the passage of the Transportation Reauthorization Bill in the U.S. House of Representatives today, $1.6 million will go for FM 156 between Ponder and Krum. It was Mayor Cockburn's determination and commitment that truly made the project a reality, and I was glad to work with her on making this a high priority in the final passage. She also hopes for a city park with a playground where children of the community can safely play.
It is my distinguished honor to recognize Mayor Cockburn for her outstanding service and commitment to the improvement and development of the Ponder community. Her leadership and devotion serves as an inspiration to myself and others.
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