Statement Honoring the Public Service Career of Janet Bedrosian

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the distinguished public service career of Ms. Janet M. Bedrosian. Ms. Bedrosian has honorably served the U.S. Bureau of Land Management for nearly 38 years and will retire on April 2, 2011.

Ms. Bedrosian was born in Tennessee and moved to Grass Valley, California, as an infant, where she grew up in California's Mother Lode country and graduated from Nevada Union High School as class valedictorian.

Ms. Bedrosian attended the University of Nevada-Reno, where she earned dual degrees in journalism and English. Ms. Bedrosian, currently the Deputy State Director, External Affairs at the BLM's California State Office, began her BLM career in 1973 at the Nevada State Office as its first public affairs staff member. She also worked in the Washington, D.C. office as Assistant Public Affairs Chief before returning to California to work in the state office as a public affairs specialist and congressional liaison. Ms. Bedrosian worked with California's 54-member Washington delegation, more than 120 full-time members of California's State legislature, and key State and local governments and their staffs. During this time, she built a robust and comprehensive congressional and legislative program that remains unequalled in the BLM's history. Her understanding of government processes and her ability to develop strong relationships have been crucial to many of the BLM's and Department of the Interior's successes, particularly in California.

Issues for which Ms. Bedrosian played a key role include the coordination between elected officials, the Department of the Interior, the National Park Service, and the BLM that resulted in passage of the California Desert Protection Act--the largest piece of wilderness legislation in the contiguous United States ever to come before Congress.

Ms. Bedrosian is well respected for her knowledge of land management and her ability to handle complex issues. Due to these attributes, a former BLM Director called upon her to act as the BLM's Chief of Staff in 2007.

For her dedication, expertise, and service, Ms. Bedrosian has been honored with the two highest awards from the Department of the Interior--the Meritorious Service Award in 2007 and the Department's highest civilian honor, the Distinguished Service Award, presented to her in 2010. According to the Interior Department, ``Recipients of the Distinguished Service Award must have demonstrated extremely significant long-term contributions to Departmental programs and missions.'' These awards are signed by the Secretary of the Interior and have been presented since 1948. Ms. Bedrosian is recognized nationally as an expert, a leader, and among the best External Affairs managers the BLM has ever had.

Outside the workplace, Ms. Bedrosian enjoys politics, travel, and making cookies. But mostly, she enjoys her family: husband Tod, son Sean, and daughter Kate; and her three sisters, brother, and father, all of whom live in the Sacramento area.

Ms. Bedrosian's nearly four-decade career in public service deserves the highesi appreciation and commendation. I ask that my colleagues join me in congratulating Ms. Janet Bedrosian on a successful career and in wishing her happiness in her retirement.