Recognizing Celia Gould

Floor Speech

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Mr. SIMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize the retiring director of the Idaho State Department of Agriculture and my close personal friend, Celia Gould. An Idaho native, third-generation cattle rancher, and dedicated public servant, Celia exemplifies Idaho's spirit and respect for agriculture.

Celia was born and raised in an Idaho ranching family, and used the generations of knowledge she gained growing up to run her own cattle operations as an adult. Always interested in public service, Celia served 16 years in the Idaho House of Representatives before becoming the first woman to lead the Idaho State Department of Agriculture, a position she held for another 16 years. She saw the Department through the 2008 recession, during which she kept Idaho agriculture as the state's strongest industry, and is leaving her office with Idaho's agricultural exports worth over a billion dollars more per year than when she entered. As if her ranching and public service didn't keep her busy enough, Celia raised a wonderful family with her husband and former Idaho House Speaker Bruce Newcomb. I know she will do a great job implanting her long-held love for agriculture in her grandchildren.

I first got to know Celia personally while we were both serving in the Idaho House of Representatives, and she quickly became one of my and my wife Kathy's best friends. In my last term as Speaker of the House, Celia served as the chair of the House Judiciary, Rules, and Administration Committee. She was an effective legislator who I was always glad to have in my conference. Of course, in politics it is hard to always keep everyone happy. Bruce and I learned one cardinal rule of working with Celia Gould: never mess with her when she is wearing a red dress.

I join Celia's family and many friends and colleagues in congratulating her on an extraordinary career in public service and wishing her luck in her next chapter.

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