[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 146 (Saturday, October 8, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 8, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
              PAT RISSLER: A CAREER DEDICATED TO CONGRESS

                                 ______


                          HON. WILLIAM D. FORD

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 7, 1994

  Mr. FORD of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, as the 103d Congress comes to a 
close, not only will my Congressional career end but also that of my 
long-time and trusted friend and advisor, the Staff Director of the 
Education and Labor Committee, Patricia Rissler. During the past few 
days, much attention has been focused on departing Members, including 
me, but very little has been said about some of the most able and 
longstanding public servants in this body who, like Pat Rissler, will 
be departing.
  I rise today to join other colleagues in paying tribute to Ms. 
Rissler, whose professional career has encompassed three decades of 
service to Members of the Michigan delegation in both Chambers of the 
Congress. Pat has been with me for over twenty of those years, 
beginning with her position as administrative clerk of the first 
Subcommittee I chaired and ending this year as the highly respected and 
admired Staff Director of the Committee on Education and Labor. With 
Pat I have accomplished a lot; without her I am not certain that we 
could have accomplished all that we did.
  Pat was born in Charles Town, West Virginia in an area and during an 
era in which no young girl could have dreamed of achieving what Pat has 
accomplished. She came to Washington, DC following business school with 
a determined and disciplined mind, an inherent wisdom and a quiet self 
confidence. With these qualities she worked her way up from an entry-
level position on the staff of our former colleague, Neil Staebler (D-
MI), to one of the highest positions in the Congress today. Before 
joining me in 1973, she also worked for the late Senators Pat McNamara 
and Philip A. Hart.
  Mr. Speaker, it is my recollection that Pat's career began to 
flourish during the early 70's while she was administrative clerk to 
the Subcommittee on Agricultural Labor which I chaired. In this 
position she began to undertake increasing numbers of legislative and 
substantive assignments in addition to her administrative duties. Her 
first legislation achievement was the enactment of the Farm Labor 
Contractor Registration Act of 1974, legislation which provided migrant 
farm workers with much needed protection on their jobs and in their 
labor camps.
  It was during this same time that Pat took a personal interest in the 
HEP/CAMP programs which had been shifted to the Department of Labor 
from the old Office of Economic Opportunity. These programs helped 
migrant farm workers by providing their children with the opportunity 
to obtain high school and college educations. The Nixon Administration 
tried many times to eliminate these programs, but the Nixon team was no 
match for Pat. She foiled their every attempt and, because of her 
efforts, there are literally thousands of sons and daughters of migrant 
farm workers that today have college educations and professional 
careers.
  Mr. Speaker, my next Subcommittee chairmanship was the Subcommittee 
on Postsecondary Education, and Pat served me ably as the Deputy Staff 
Director. She continued her work on legislation to provide educational 
opportunities for all Americans and in this capacity she helped me 
draft and pass the Middle Income Student Assistance Act, a program 
which extended Federal student aid programs to the children of middle-
class families.
  When I became Chairman of the Committee on Post Office and Civil 
Service, Pat was Deputy Staff Director and later Staff Director. In 
fact, she was one of the first women to serve as Staff Director of a 
Congressional Committee. During her tenure at the Post Office and Civil 
Service Committee, she helped formulate and pass milestone programs 
such as the Federal Employees Retirement System which for the first 
time integrated Federal pensions with Social Security benefits. She 
also oversaw a comprehensive study of the Federal Employees Health 
Benefits Program in anticipation of the need to confront a major issue, 
the reform of our health care system. During her period as Staff 
Director of the Committee, Pat also played a major role in our 
successful efforts to reform the Federal pay system.
  In 1991, I had the great fortune and privilege to become Chairman of 
the Committee on Education and Labor. There was never a moment's 
hesitation about whom I would choose to fill the crucial position of 
Staff Director. As my colleagues know, this is a tremendously complex 
and demanding job. The Staff Director manages a budget of over $7 
million and supervises a staff of about ninety, including many 
experienced and highly trained professionals, counsels and subcommittee 
staff directors. This position also requires one to be a quick and 
thorough study on a penumbra of complicated and politically difficult 
issues such as our labor laws, our pension laws, health care reform, 
our education programs and our civil rights laws.
  In addition to being a great administrator, Pat has been a valued 
advisor and wise counsel to the Committee Members and to me. She 
understands the complexities of the substantive issues as well as the 
legislative and political interplay. These qualities were immeasurably 
helpful to me in setting and fulfilling the Committee's agenda. 
Committee Members from both sides of the aisle have told me that 
appointing Pat as Staff Director may have been the smartest thing I did 
during my tenure as Chairman of the Education and Labor Committee.
  The first two years, which coincided with last two years of the Bush 
Administration, were frustrating ones, but these past two years will be 
remembered by both Pat and me not only as our final years of 
Congressional service, but as two of the most rewarding. During the 
first two years of the Clinton Administration, she worked with the 
President and his White House staff, as well as Cabinet Secretaries and 
their staffs, in formulating such Presidential initiatives as the 
Family and Medical Leave Act, reauthorization of the Higher Education 
Act and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Goals 2000, the 
National and Community Service Act and health care reform.
  In addition to her service to the Committee, Pat was, primarily 
because of her intelligence and integrity, appointed by you, Mr. 
Speaker, to serve on the Fair Employment Practices Review Panel. This 
year, she was also elected to the Board of Governors of the National 
Democratic Club.
  I have mentioned Pat's accomplishments and her talent and skills. I 
would also like to talk about what she has meant to me on a more 
personal basis. Pat has been a trusted counselor, assistant and friend 
through more good and bad times than I can possibly count. I have 
relied on her wisdom, her quiet confidence, her grace and, yes, her 
wit, for many years. Pat has been a wise counsel and has never 
hesitated to speak her mind to me even when she knew what she was 
saying was not necessarily what I wanted to hear.
  Pat Rissler is the epitome of what we want when we appoint someone to 
a position of trust, responsibility and authority. Pat has always been 
responsible, loyal and fair, always done what was right, and has always 
held the public interest above her own.
  Mr. Speaker, I consider myself extremely fortunate to have had Pat as 
both a Staff Director and friend for the major portion of my 
Congressional career. I will miss her; we will all miss her. On behalf 
of this body, I want to thank you, Pat. We are grateful for your 
service and we wish you much luck and happiness.

                          ____________________