RECOGNIZING LORIE TUDOR ON HER RETIREMENT

On 2025-03-10, Representative J. French Hill (R-AR-2) delivered a floor speech titled "RECOGNIZING LORIE TUDOR ON HER RETIREMENT" in the House. The speech addressed healthcare and also covered taxes, the environment.

RECOGNIZING LORIE TUDOR ON HER RETIREMENT

Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 44 (Monday, March 10, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 44 (Monday, March 10, 2025)] [House] [Pages H1043-H1044] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] RECOGNIZING LORIE TUDOR ON HER RETIREMENT (Mr. Hill of Arkansas was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.) Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Madam Speaker, I rise to wish Lorie Tudor, the former director of the Arkansas Department of Transportation, a very healthy and happy retirement. Lorie was with the Department of Transportation for over four decades and served as the director for the last 5 years. She began her career at the department as a clerk-typist back in 1982. After taking time away to earn an engineering degree from the University of Memphis, she returned to the department as a civil engineer in 1998. In 2014, she was promoted to deputy director and chief operating officer, and she became the agency's first female director in early 2020. Lorie guided the department through the challenges of COVID-19, played a pivotal role in the Connecting Arkansas Program, which included over 30 State highway construction projects and helped modernize the Natural State's transportation infrastructure. She has left a lasting mark on the department and our State, and she has proven to be a tireless and effective leader. I thank Lorie for her lifetime of dedication and her terrific perseverance to accomplish her personal goals and those of the department. Recognizing Austin Booth Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Austin Booth, an exceptional Arkansan who recently completed his service as the director of our Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. A native of Scott, Arkansas, the outdoors and a passion for public service were integral to Austin's upbringing. After witnessing the 9/11 attacks from his classroom at Catholic High School in Little Rock, Austin was determined to serve his country, ultimately becoming a Marine Corps officer and deploying to Afghanistan. After his tour in Afghanistan, Austin came to Washington, D.C., where he would go on to work as an advocate for the corps on Capitol Hill and, later, a judge advocate. He returned to Arkansas to serve in the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs and then as a director of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Under his leadership, the commission launched its strategic 5-year plan and Austin was instrumental in conservation projects that will benefit hunters, anglers, and conservationists for generations to come. I thank Austin for his leadership, for our friendship, and for his unwavering commitment to Arkansas' natural treasures, and wish him all the best in his future endeavors. Recognizing Bart Likes, Owner of Ol' Bart Southern Eats Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Bart Likes, the owner of Ol' Bart Southern Eats. What started as a job at a hunting lodge has become a successful multilocation restaurant and catering business that serves customers across our State. Yet, Bart's contributions to his community are not confined to his successful business. Since the tragic passing of his mother, he has been serving others in our State, including sponsoring local sports teams, feeding healthcare workers, and providing free meals to victims of domestic abuse. Bart's story should remind us all that life has twists and turns but following your passions will never steer you wrong. It should also remind us that there is no greater obligation in life than to help those in need. Madam Speaker, I applaud Bart for his success and thank him for his dedication to helping others. Celebrating John Gill Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate a truly remarkable gift to higher education in Arkansas and honor the legacy of John Gill, whose name will now grace the newly renamed prelaw program at Hendrix College in Conway. Thanks to a generous $250,000 donation from George and Sallie Gill in honor of their brother and brother-in-law, this endowed program will help prepare Hendrix students for a legal career. As a former president of the Arkansas Bar Association and member of the [[Page H1044]] American College of Trial Lawyers, John Gill has left an indelible mark on our State's legal landscape over his six-decade career. From serving as a delegate to the 1969 Arkansas Constitutional Convention and shaping the Arkansas Supreme Court's Rules of Civil Procedure, John's legacy is one of integrity and mentorship. Through this endowment, Hendrix will continue to enhance its already impressive prelaw program, which boasts an 87 percent law school acceptance rate. Madam Speaker, I commend Hendrix College and the Gill family for their commitment to advancing legal education in Arkansas, and I look forward to seeing those students thrive in law school and beyond. ____________________