[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 145 (Friday, October 7, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 7, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                     TRIBUTE TO THE MITCHELL STAFF

  Mr. MITCHELL. Mr. President, one of the great pleasures of serving as 
majority leader of the U.S. Senate is working with the talented and 
dedicated group of men and women who make this institution run. These 
outstanding Americans are here every day the Senate is in session, and 
many days that the Senate is not. They often arrive here early in the 
morning and stay here late into the night to ensure that we can do our 
work effectively and successfully.
  Many of these individuals could be earning more money in the private 
sector. All of them could be working normal jobs, living normal lives; 
instead, they are here serving their country and their government.
  They have certainly made my years in the Senate much easier. 
Therefore, in the closing hours of the 103d Congress, and in my closing 
hours as majority leader, I want to take a few minutes to thank them 
for all their help and cooperation.
  I begin by thanking my chief of staff, John Hilley. Every Member of 
this chamber is indebted to John. His political acumen, his keen 
judgment, his grasp of Senate procedure, and his ability to work with 
100 occasionally testy lawmakers made him a logical choice for this 
demanding position. My faith was not misplaced. I will always remember 
and appreciate his outstanding service both to me and to the Senate.
  Lisa Nolan has the remarkable ability to take the complexities of the 
budget and make them understandable. Her analytical skills and her 
grace under pressure have made her an invaluable part of my office. 
John and I both thank her.
  My executive assistant, Pat Sarcone, is the miracle worker every 
office needs. She has the rare but wonderful ability to simplify the 
complex, to ease the difficult, and to make routine the extraordinary. 
She keeps the office, and indeed my life, running smoothly. To work 
with her is a pleasure--to know her is a delight. I thank her.
  John is assisted by Alice Aughtry, whose work and loyalty alone make 
her indispensable. The positive, pleasant attitude she brings to her 
job makes her even more indispensable. John appreciates it. I 
appreciate it.
  The staff assistants in the leader's office perform many of the 
routine but critical tasks. Beth Gentile, Jamillia Ferris, and 
Elizabeth Harrington all put in long hours and perform their jobs 
superbly. I appreciate all that they do.
  I would like to thank a very special collection of people--my state 
office staff--for all their help during my years in this chamber. I 
cannot imagine my being here or remaining here without them. They are 
highly skilled and dedicated men and women, and they have served both 
me and the people of Maine tirelessly.
  My administrative assistant, Mary McAleney, is a counselor as well as 
a supervisor, a conciliator as well as a troubleshooter, a puller as 
well as a pusher, a servant as well as a boss; foremost, she is a 
blessing.
  My legislative staff has been outstanding. Both professionally and 
personally they are the best there is, and as I leave the Senate, I do 
so realizing I will leave behind some of the best colleagues I will 
ever know.
  Bobby Rozen has an expert knowledge of everything. I have relied on 
him mostly for tax, banking, and health care issues. I could have asked 
him to do anything. I depend on him. I trust him. He has never let me 
down, and I appreciate it.
  Anita Jensen's superb writing abilities and her outstanding work on 
Judiciary Committee issues has made her an invaluable part of my staff. 
She has been with me since the beginning, and I thank her for sticking 
with me, through the bad as well as the good. She has forgotten more 
about most things than any of us will ever know to begin with. I have 
counted on her political judgment, her wisdom and her ability to find 
the right words for any situation. I owe her much, and I thank her.
  Anita is assisted by Ashley Abbott, who my staff now likes to call 
``Anita Junior''--a nickname that is a wonderful tribute to both 
individuals. Her writing is simply excellent, and her ability to jump 
in and handle a variety of diverse issues has been greatly appreciated 
by everyone, especially Anita and myself.
  Grace Reef does it all. Social issues, labor issues, bridges and 
roads, LIHEAP, welfare reform, unemployment compensation--I could go on 
and on. She is thorough, conscientious, and incredibly dedicated. The 
State of Maine and I have been very fortunate to have her. I have said 
before and will say it again that she truly is ``Amazing Grace.''
  Chris Williams knows more about the need to reform the American 
health care system than anybody. She was tireless and tenacious during 
our fight to reform our flawed and failing system. She will never know 
how much I appreciated her efforts and her strengths during those 
trying and tiring days.
  Chris has been assisted by several bright, capable and effective 
Fellows. Parashar Patel, Dr. Oliver Fein, and Judy Whang all made 
invaluable contributions to our efforts, and I thank them for their 
work.
  Sandy Brown handles everything from the arts and humanities to 
economic development. She works very closely with my field staff on 
projects of tremendous importance to the State of Maine. She is the 
person most responsible for the resumption of train service from Boston 
to Portland. I thank her and look forward to riding the first train 
with her in the very near future.
  Sandy is assisted by Patrick Maxcy. He works on Maine-related 
economic development issues, as well as covering agriculture and 
aviation. Patrick has done an outstanding job in fighting for Maine's 
interests, and I know many people who are grateful to him. I am 
certainly one of them.
  Seth Brewster has done excellent work on trade issues. Between the 
NAFTA and GATT, this Congress has certainly put his skills to the test. 
Seth has met every challenge, and I thank him.
  Peggy Dorothy is splendid in her work on labor issues and with the 
fishing industry. These are difficult areas, with their common 
denominator being the large number of competing interests with which to 
deal. I thank her for her efforts.
  On foreign policy matters, how can I ever express my thanks to Ed 
King. I have constantly depended on his experience and expertise. His 
foreign policy, military, and academic experiences have given him both 
a practical and scholarly background that is heavily utilized on 
Capitol Hill. During the past year, our ever-changing world has 
presented constant challenges. Bosnia, Haiti, Cuba, and Korea spring 
immediately to mind. Ed has responded to each of these challenges like 
the champ he is. He has been ably assisted by Carol Grigsby and Leah 
Titerence. I thank them all.
  Heidi Bonner has worked on defense and veterans issues for me this 
year. She has filled the shoes of not just 1 but 2 people, and she 
became a mother for the first time. She has balanced and juggled, and 
she has done a remarkable job.
  Few people are as concerned with protecting and preserving our 
precious natural resources as are Jeff Peterson and Ann Tartre. As my 
environmental issues team, they have handled so many issues that are 
important to so many people, and so dear to me, that I could not name 
them all. Jeff and Ann's efforts have helped to make our water and air 
cleaner, to keep our solid and nuclear waste from overtaking us, and to 
prevent our Earth's species from vanishing. Many thanks to both of you.
  Jeff and Ann have been assisted this year by Ted Lillestolen. He has 
concentrated on the complexities of Superfund, as well as pitching in 
wherever else help was needed. He has been a terrific addition to the 
office, and I appreciate his help.
  I have been fortunate to have the services of Jim Weber this year. 
Jim came to me from the Parlimentarian's office, where I know that he 
is still missed. He has handled some of this session's most contentious 
issues, ranging from lobbying reform to the Whitewater investigation. 
He has done a superb job, and I am grateful to him.
  Lauren Griffen returned to my staff this year and is now covering 
education issues for me. Her work has been excellent and I thank her.
  I also express my appreciation for those who perform the essential 
day to day operations that keeps a Senate office functioning. The 
diligence and attention to detail required in these jobs would tax not 
only the patience as well but the sanity of most mortals. They have 
done them, patiently and successfully.
  My office manager, Donna Beck, takes care of the financial matters 
and the day to day affairs that are instrumental to the smooth 
operations of an office. She manages to keep all of us in line, and 
knows the Senate's ethics rules inside and out. As I leave office, 
Donna will be the last one out the door. I thank her for her past 
efforts and for the work she will continue to do.
  In closing the office, Donna will be assisted by Sally Ehrenfried, 
who recently returned to my staff. In the past, Sally has served as my 
page an intern coordinator and has helped Donna in managing the office. 
Kristi Mashon, my new archivist and a very new mother, will also be 
critical in retiring my office. I appreciate Sally and Kristi's work.
  David Webber is Mary McAleney's assistant. He serves as her 
gatekeeper, helping to prioritize and handle the overwhelming flow of 
paperwork and telephone calls into and out of her office. He has a 
great attitude, and is always willing to pitch in where needed. I thank 
him.
  My correspondence staff is outstanding. Since becoming majority 
leader, it has been my policy to respond to every piece of mail that I 
receive. This has often been many hundreds of letters every day, and I 
could not have done it without the assistance of many dedicated 
staffers.
  Alice Steward oversees the mail operation. The piles of mail on her 
desk have often seemed insurmountable, but she has worked countless 
hours making sure that every American received a timely response from 
me.
  My legislative correspondents have performed above and beyond the 
call of duty. They work long hours for relatively low pay and almost no 
recognition. My legislative assistants, the American people and I owe 
them a debt of gratitude.
  Josh McIntyre responds to constituents about budget, human resources, 
housing and urban development, Social Security and public works issues. 
Jeff Sanders addresses health, labor, science and technology and small 
business concerns. Joan Sutton is responsible for communications, 
energy, environment, judiciary and tax mail. Josh, Jeff and Joan each 
do an outstanding job, and I appreciate their work.
  Faye Johnson is the last critical link in the mail operation. She 
runs the CCMS system, making sure that every constituent receives the 
appropriate response. She has been with me for many years, and she has 
been a true pleasure to have in the office. Faye has also volunteered 
as the Coordinated Federal Campaign coordinator for our office, and I 
know that many people and charitable organizations in the Greater 
Washington area greatly appreciate her efforts.
  Janie O'Connor is by far the best tour guide on the Hill. She is also 
my liaison with various school and tour groups, as well as the visitors 
who happens through my office in quest of seeing their tax dollars at 
work. Janie has been with me for nearly 14 years--I will miss her.
  Diane Smith is the wonder worker who keeps my Maine schedule balanced 
with the requests and needs placed on me as Majority Leader. It has 
been a most difficult and demanding job, and she has handled it 
splendidly. I have said before that I thought she is the one person who 
could schedule 11 hours of work and travel into a 10-hour day and still 
leave time for a quick lunch. Now I know that assessment to be wrong. 
She can schedule 12 hours into a 10-hour day and leave time for a 
leisurely lunch. I thank her for her many talents and her patience.
  My Maine press secretary, David Bradon, and his assistant, John 
Dougherty, have done excellent work in keeping the people of the state 
of Maine aware of our legislative efforts. They have the ability to 
make the driest piece of legislation interesting, and to communicate 
that to the people of Maine. It is not an easy task, and I commend them 
for their efforts.
  Jeff Hecker works long and hard to make keep our office computer 
systems functioning. This is work that requires expert knowledge and 
long hours, usually into the evenings and on weekends when no one else 
is in the office. Thank you, Jeff.
  The staff assistants in my personal office are terrific. Andrew 
Haggard and Kim Crichton answer the phones which never seem to stop 
ringing. Charlie Strout and Clay Boothby open the mail which never 
seems to stop arriving. All 4 have the patience of saints. They give 
each constituent--and each constituent's letter--the time and respect 
that they deserve. I thank them for all of their work.
  I also want to mention a number of people who have left my staff in 
the last 6 months since I announced my retirement. Each has gone on to 
pursue new and existing challenges, and I wish them well in their 
pursuits. However, I want them to know that I appreciated very much 
their hard work, professionalism, and dedication during the time they 
served on my staff. My sincere thanks to Rich Arneberg, Kim Wallace, 
Bob Carolla, Brett O'Brien, Steve Hart, Paul Carliner, Deb Cotter, Trey 
Kelleter, Jill Ward and Elizabeth Sutherland.
  My driver in Washington, Willie Allen, has made sure that I meet my 
demanding schedule, and he has done so cheerfully and pleasantly. He 
tolerates my back seat driving, and I appreciate his long hours.
  I should also thank the numerous interns who have volunteered their 
time here in Washington. Although I cannot possibly name them all, I do 
hope that they know how much I appreciate the work they have done for 
me.
  My communications office is under the direction of the very capable 
and tenacious Diane Dewhirst. During my tenure as majority leader, 
Diane has helped keep the press and the public informed on the workings 
of this chamber and its achievements, and has effectively promoted the 
Democratic agenda in the media. In a free society such as ours, the 
press can be very demanding, and it requires a dedicated professional 
to meet those demands. Diane has been outstanding, and so has her 
staff, deputy press secretary Mary Ann Hill, and their capable 
assistants Mary Helen Fuller, Julie Goldberg, and Jonathan Hale.
  Diane and Mary Ann each became mothers this year, and I appreciate 
the special effort each has made to balance their new responsibilities 
with their old ones.
  Also vital to keeping the public informed about key Democratic 
initiatives during my tenure has been the work of the Democratic Policy 
Committee. Under the direction of Vice Chairman Senator Tom Daschle, 
DPC has become an important forum and vehicle for developing and 
promoting Democratic policies on education, environment, health care, 
the economy, and other issues. DPC's director of outreach, Debra 
Silimeo, has brought an energetic devotion to her task. DPC's director 
of services, Greg Billings, has brought a dedication to his 
administrative responsibilities.
  Debra and Greg are ably assisted by the DPC's policy staff Ken Rynne, 
Paul Brown, Lauren Griffin, Rindy O'Brien, Jennefer Smith, Tony Morgan, 
Leah Titerence, Rob Graham, Tricia Moreis, Heather Mayes, and David 
Corbin. They are assisted by Joy Leach and Joe Stensland.
  Working hard to ensure that DPC's publication are developed, 
produced, printed, and distributed is the publications office. It is 
headed by Marguerite Beck Rex, who is assisted by Lynn Terpstra, Tim 
Metrovich, Karen Hutchinson, Bill McCabe, and Chris Bois.
  DPC-TV is operated by Michael Mozden and Kirstan Jennings.
  Assisting Senators with television communications is DPC broadcast 
services. This office is headed by the experienced and very capable 
Kevin McNanus. He is assisted by Christine Deckle, Clare Flood, Kevin 
Kelleher, and Mark Marchions.
  Vote information records are maintained by Marian Bertram, Doug 
Connolly, Colleen Stephenson, Von Brown, and Rob Sweeney.
  Mr. President, for me, representing the people of Maine in the Senate 
has been the greatest honor of my life. I could not have accomplished 
all that I have without the help of each of these individuals.
  Most of them will never get the attention and recognition that they 
deserve, nor will they be mentioned in history books. But they are 
people who help make history every day that they are here. They are the 
people who make the Senate work.
  Each has my most profound and sincere appreciation for the work they 
do for this body. I commend them for their service to their country and 
their contributions to the U.S. Senate.

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