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.
“EXECUTIVE CALENDAR” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Transportation was published in the Senate section on pages S1741-S1742 on Feb. 22, 1999.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR
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EXECUTIVE SESSION
Mr. ALLARD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate immediately proceed to executive session to consider the following nominations on the Executive Calendar: No. 6 and 7, and all nominations on the Secretary's desk and the Coast Guard. I further ask unanimous consent that the nominations be confirmed, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action, and the Senate then return to legislative session.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The nominations were agreed to.
The nominations considered and confirmed are as follows:
department of transportation
William Clyburn, Jr., of South Carolina, to be a Member of the Surface Transportation Board for a term expiring December 31, 2000.
Wayne O. Burkes, of Mississippi, to be a Member of the Surface Transportation Board for a term expiring December 31, 2002.
in the coast guard
Coast Guard nomination of George W. Molessa, Jr., which was received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional Record of February 3, 1999.
Coast Guard nominations beginning James W. Kelly, and ending John J. Santucci, which nominations were received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional Record of February 3, 1999.
Coast Guard nominations beginning James E. Malene, and ending Steven M. Wischmann, which nominations were received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional Record of February 3, 1999.
NOMINATION OF WAYNE O. BURKES
Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, it is my great pleasure to see the Senate today approve the nomination of a fellow Mississippian, Wayne O. Burkes, to serve as a member of the Surface Transportation Board (STB). Wayne is qualified to serve because he brings a wealth of experience and a depth of character to the STB.
Wayne Burkes comes to this position after serving as the Transportation Commissioner for the Central District of Mississippi for the past ten years. In this capacity, he supervised all modes of transportation in the state involving aviation, highways, public transit, and rail safety. Prior to that, he served for 14 years in the Mississippi Legislature as both a Senator and a Representative on the Highways and Transportation Committees.
Mr. President, Wayne Burkes brings a real multimodal background to the STB. He is a thoughtful, introspective, humble, and mature public servant. Wayne knows who he is and this will help him be an effective STB Member. Significantly, his experience, education, and training extend beyond the world of transportation. He understands the economics of business from his experience as an insurance underwriter and serving on the Board of Trustees of the Mississippi Baptist Medical Center.
Wayne Burkes answered our Nation's call to duty by serving in the Air Force and Mississippi's Air National Guard, including service in Vietnam. He rose to the rank of major general before retiring from the Air National Guard. His background includes over two decades as a pastor at his church, where he now serves as a deacon. He also volunteers his time and talents to assist the Boy Scouts of America.
Mr. President, our Nation can count on Wayne Burkes to diligently and faithfully execute his duties as a member of the STB. He is the one of the most decent and honest men you could hope to find. We wish him well as he embarks on another public service mission.
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