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SPECIAL RECOGNITION OF MATT POLKA'S RETIREMENT
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HON. ROBERT E. LATTA
of ohio
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, July 12, 2022
Mr. LATTA. Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the retirement of Mr. Matt Polka, the longtime Chairman and President of ACA Connects. Matt's tenure, from the inception of the organization to the effective organization it has become today, has been marked by his integrity and his earnest commitment to representing the small, hometown businesses that have built and managed the cable and broadband networks that Americans depend on. Matt also distinguished himself in Washington by his common decency, his love of a good conversation about politics, and a desire to help anyone he could.
Those values have been clearly shaped by his deep roots in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. There is not a person who worked with Matt that didn't know of his love and affection for his wife, Sharman, his daughters, Molly and Annie, and his pride in being from the Three Rivers area.
Under Matt's guidance and leadership, ACA Connects grew from an informal grassroots effort to being one of the preeminent telecommunications organizations in Washington. He ensured his members had a voice in all the important debates that have occurred since taking the helm of ACA Connects. Those efforts span the re-examination of the 1992 Telecommunications Act to each reauthorization of the satellite industry to the latest broadband deployment and adoption initiatives. His work was a mile wide and a mile deep.
Matt has helped my constituents in Ohio through his work to improve broadband infrastructure and access. Many of my constituents live in rural areas and Matt's advocacy has aided efforts to ensure that they can get online. Additionally, Matt has been a strong advocate for small businesses across the country and championed efforts to cut the bureaucratic red tape that hampers them.
ACA Connects earned its reputation through his unwavering vision and mantra to work with everyone, to find places of agreement, and to focus on common interests rather than focus on differences and partisanship. That approach has earned him the respect of so many Members, staff, and counsels across the Hill along with the various officials in administrations that have been in place during his time. The respect shown to Matt also comes from others--including consumer groups and businesses--even when his work puts him on opposite sides of an issue.
Guided by his faith, he has been a firm and determined advocate for his members and he has done so with conviction, character, and fairness. After 25 years of service to ACA Connects, I want to recognize his work and offer my best wishes for his next chapter of service in life.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 168, No. 114(1), Congressional Record Vol. 168, No. 114(2)
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