Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and commend a resident of Verona, Virginia, who cares passionately about preserving the lands and cultures that epitomize our American heritage. On December 11, 2024, in a ceremony in Washington, D.C., it was announced that Dale Meyerhoeffer received the National Park Service 2023 Director's Award for Excellence in Natural Resource Management. Mr. Meyerhoeffer is a biological technician whose undaunted efforts to save Shenandoah National Park's remaining eastern hemlock trees preserved an ecologically important resource for the park. After the death of 95 percent of the park's hemlocks from an invasive insect, Meyerhoeffer, with the help from volunteers and park staff, used insecticide treatment to protect more than 30,000 hemlocks. To reduce the park's reliance on pesticide treatments, Meyerhoeffer worked with researchers from Virginia Tech to procure and release host- specific, predatory beetles and flies in hopes of controlling the invasive insect. This effort culminated in major success for Shenandoah National Park and the Sixth District of Virginia. We thank him for his persistence and contribution to our great Nation. Recognizing the Restoration Community Development Corporation”