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[Page S190]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRIBUTE TO JULIUS P. KNAPP
Mr. WICKER. Madam President, I rise today to commend Julius ``Julie''
P. Knapp for his service to our Nation during the past 45 years. Mr.
Knapp retires this month from his position as the FCC's Chief of the
Office of Engineering and Technology, OET, where he helped usher in the
modern age of communications and was instrumental in making spectrum
available to fuel our Nation's economic growth in this area. If you are
accessing a mobile device right now, using Wi-Fi, or buying the latest
wireless gadget, you are likely benefiting from Julie Knapp's work.
Mr. Knapp is well known and respected here in Congress for his
technically precise and straightforward testimony at countless
hearings. Mr. Knapp is a world-recognized expert in communications and
is widely viewed as a leader on technical policy issues because of his
expertise, his pragmatic and fair approach, and his ability to
``translate'' complex engineering issues to policymakers on all sides
of an issue. He has briefed generations of congressional staffers on
the intricacies of spectrum management and provided significant and
substantial input on spectrum legislation. Many Members of this body
have discussed communications industry developments with Julie,
including low power FM, wireless and satellite issues, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi,
and 5G, among others.
When the public looks at Julie Knapp's career, we can see a parallel
to the timeline of America's communications industry's growth. He
graduated from high school in New Hyde, NY, in 1969, and he received
his engineering degree from the City College of New York in 1974. Less
than a month later, he went right to work for the American people. He
rose through the ranks at the FCC, beginning as a 22-year-old
certifying radio frequency devices and growing into a seasoned
professional in the increasingly important equipment authorization
branch. He became Chief of the FCC laboratory, Chief of the Policy and
Rules Division for OET, and finally Chief of OET, where he has served
with extraordinary distinction since 2006.
Mr. Knapp's outstanding work has brought him numerous awards and
accolades within the government and in the engineering community. In
2012, he received one of the highest honors for a civil servant, the
Presidential Distinguished Rank Award. He also has received the FCC's
Gold and Silver Awards and the Eugene C. Bowler Award for exceptional
professionalism and dedication to public service.
Mr. Knapp has served the United States through multiple
administrations, never asking for more than the opportunity to make a
difference--and along the way, making a lasting, positive impact. He
epitomizes the concept of civil service. We all owe Julie Knapp a debt
of gratitude and our sincerest thanks for dedicating his life to
building America's communications systems and making these services
universally available to all of us and for doing so with grace and
humility.
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