Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I rise today to discuss an important matter involving the future of the Tennessee Valley Authority. As you may know, TVA is led by a Board of Directors that consists of nine individuals appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. These board members serve for staggered 5-year terms. For some time, it has been understood that each State within TVA's service area should be represented on the board. This makes sense given TVA's diverse energy production and economic development activities, which affect communities in each State differently as do the Authority's various power plants and dams. Recognizing this, President Bush, in 2006, nominated to the board a fabulous individual from my State, Howard Thrailkill. The Senate confirmed the nomination unanimously. Mr. Thrailkill has undoubtedly served with distinction. He was president of AdTran, a successful technology company in Huntsville, and he brought to TVA a familiarity with the complexities of running a large organization. Upon his confirmation, Mr. Thrailkill immersed himself in the financial records, business plans, and technical data surrounding TVA's many functions. He became an expert on the organization in a way that many board members do not. When he identified a poor performing project or a proposal with downsides, he was not afraid to say so. And he was especially familiar with TVA's activities in North Alabama, where he lived. Undoubtedly, Mr.…”