[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 143 (Monday, October 21, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12435-S12439]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            THANKS TO STAFF

 Mr. HEFLIN. Mr. President, on the last day the Senate was in 
session, October 4, I stood on the floor and briefly thanked my staff 
members for all their hard work over the years. At that time, I had a 
list of their names, hometowns, and date of joining our staff inserted 
into the Congressional Record. I also said that later, I would make 
additional comments about each of those.
  As I said, it is easy to take staff for granted. Much of what they do 
is carried out in such a way that we might not be aware always of what 
they are doing. But they put in long hours just like we do. They are 
dedicated not only to us, but to the States we serve. My staff has 
helped thousands of Alabamians and other citizens with problems, 
questions, projects, and other general concerns.
  I have been fortunate to have many long-time staff members who have 
been with me for many years, some since my first year in the Senate. 
Others have not been here as long, but have still made valuable 
contributions. Most have come from Alabama or had some connection to 
the State, such as being an alumnus of a university there, but others 
have come from the Washington area or other parts of the east coast.
  I am proud of my staff, both here in Washington and in the four State 
offices. They have done an outstanding job for the Senate, for the 
State of Alabama, and for the Nation and I thank all of them and wish 
them well as they retire or move on to new career opportunities. I 
would now like to say a few words about each of those who are still 
serving with us during these final weeks of my term.


                               steve raby

  Heading up my Washington staff is Steve Raby, my administrative 
assistant. Over the years, Steve has been a tireless worker and voice 
for the State of Alabama and the Nation. He has superb judgment and 
unsurpassable ability to motivate workers under his supervision. He 
first joined my staff in January 1984 as a legislative assistant 
focusing on agriculture and rural development policy. In 1987, he 
became my administrative assistant, responsible for legislative and 
political matters affecting Alabama. Steve was born in Huntsville, AL, 
and received his bachelors and masters degrees from Auburn University. 
I have accused him numerous times of filling my staff with Auburn 
graduates so he could have more support in the Auburn-Alabama football 
rivalry. Prior to joining my staff, Steve worked as a research 
assistant at the Federal Reserve Bank in Atlanta analyzing economic 
indicators of regional economy. Steve is married to the former Denise 
Cole. They have two sons--Nathan and Keenan. I predict a great future 
for him in anything he undertakes, including politics.


                              winston lett

  As ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Administrative

[[Page S12436]]

Oversight and the Courts, I have faced a myriad of interesting and 
challenging issues. Since 1990, Winston Lett has served as Democratic 
chief counsel and staff director of this prestigious subcommittee and 
has worked with me on multitudes of legislation. Born in Opelika, AL, 
Winston graduated from Auburn University and received his law degree 
from the University of Alabama. It is safe to say that Winston is a 
favorite son of his hometown: The Opelika and Auburn Chambers of 
Commerce proclaimed ``Winston Lett Day'' in 1989. Aside from this 
distinction, Winston was assistant attorney general in Alabama from 
1973 to 1977 before transferring to Washington as administrative 
assistant to the late Representative Bill Nichols of Alabama until 
1988. In 1989, Winston was administrative assistant to Representative 
Glen Browder before joining my staff a year later. Winston has been a 
calm, steady voice amid many turbulent judiciary matters and I deeply 
appreciate his outstanding work. He is an excellent lawyer and has an 
exceptional ability to get along with people.


                             denise addison

  Denise Addison was born here in Washington, the fifth child of Elmer 
and Louise Meadows. She graduated from Saint Patrick's Academy in 1975 
and has been a fixture on Capitol Hill for 21 years now. She has worked 
for an astounding number of Members of Congress, beginning with Senator 
John V. Tunney of California. Since then, she has also worked for 
Congressman Robert N.C. Nix of Pennsylvania; Senator Charles H. Percy 
of Illinois; Senator Robert Kasten of Wisconsin; and Senator Mark 
Andrews of North Dakota. She came to my office in 1988, and has been an 
integral part of the success of our correspondence, computer, filing, 
and office management operations. She married Alvin Addison in 1985, 
and together they have three children, Alvin, Jr., Dominique, and 
Jasmine.


                       sonceria ann bishop berry

  Every office has that one person who knows how to fix, find, and take 
care of just about anything. In my office, that person is Sonceria Ann 
Bishop Berry. Ann joined my Tuscumbia office in April 1979 and moved to 
Washington the following month as a secretary. She eventually served as 
assistant office manager before being promoted to office manager in 
1992. A native of Birmingham, AL, Ann received her bachelors degree 
from the University of North Alabama. She is married to Reginald A. 
Berry and they have one daughter, Elizabeth Ruth. Ann was one of my 
youngest staff members when she arrived in Washington. I have seen her 
grow up into a fine young woman. I am proud to have her as a member of 
my staff. She is one of a kind.


                         mary catherine brooks

  Mary Catherine Brooks, or ``Cappie'' as she is known, joined my staff 
in March 1989 as assistant to my administrative assistant, Steve Raby. 
A native of Birmingham, AL, Cappie attended the University of Alabama 
and the Katherine Gibbs School in Boston, MA. During her years of 
service on my staff, Cappie has tackled many special projects. One of 
the most notable was the 1994 National Prayer Breakfast honoring 
President Bill Clinton. As chairman of the Senate Prayer Breakfast, I 
was responsible for organizing a guest list of several thousand 
dignitaries from over 100 different countries. I relied heavily on 
Cappie, who managed the event masterfully. President Clinton and Vice 
President Al Gore both thanked Cappie personally for her outstanding 
work. Cappie's next special project is of a more personal nature: Her 
Spring 1997 wedding to Bill Stiers. She is most attractive as well as 
efficient.


                               tim brown

  Tim Brown has been my loyal and dedicated traveling companion over 
the years. He has been with me to each and every county in Alabama at 
one time or another. He has served as my State director, heading up all 
four of my Alabama offices, since 1995. Prior to that, he was the field 
representative responsible for 23 counties based out of Montgomery. He 
came to my Montgomery office in 1985 after working on my campaign the 
previous 2 years. He earned a bachelor of arts degree from Auburn 
University in 1971 and his law degree from Jones Law School in 1976. 
From 1972 to 1983, he worked for his family's business--Brown and Sons, 
Inc., a trucking and textiles company. Tim is from Enterprise, home of 
the famous boll weevil statue. His father, the late M.N. ``Jug'' Brown 
was mayor of Enterprise for 18 years. He is married to Cathy, an 
employee of Alabama Power Co. His political instincts are sharp, and he 
has been my eyes and ears in Alabama. He has been instrumental to the 
effectiveness of our State operations and no one could have done a 
better job of keeping me up-to-speed on local and State issues.


                             beau greenwood

  Beau Greenwood has been my agriculture legislative assistant since 
February 1995. As we faced the formidable task of rewriting the farm 
bill in the 104th Congress, I relied heavily on Beau. He worked with me 
to ensure that southern agriculture was treated equitably. We faced a 
tremendous battle with the peanut program, but fortunately were 
successful in defending this vital program. This long, grueling process 
came to a successful conclusion thanks in no small part to Beau's 
efforts. Prior to serving on my staff, he worked for Representative 
Charlie Rose of North Carolina from 1992 to 1995. A native of Corpus 
Christi, Beau is the son of Allen Greenwood of Corpus Christi and 
Sherri Moore Greenwood of Little Rock, AR. Beau attended Texas A&M 
University and received his undergraduate degree from George Washington 
University. He studies each issue carefully and is a master of details.


                           joyce d. hackworth

  Joyce Hackworth has been with me since the beginning of my Senate 
career, building on her legacy of working with Democratic Senators from 
Alabama. Born and raised in Montgomery, AL, she attended Troy State 
University before going to work for Senator John Sparkman in January 
1971. In fact, Joyce moved to Birmingham to open Senator Sparkman's 
first State office. She remained with him until he retired in 1979. I 
was elected to Senator Sparkman's seat that year and brought Joyce over 
to my staff. She has been the office manager in my Birmingham office 
since January 1979, and says she plans to retire along with me. Her 
retirement date, effective January 2, 1997, will mark 26 continuous 
years as a U.S. Senate staffer. Eighteen of those years have been spent 
on my staff handling everything from casework to the wide range of 
constituent requests that come into a Senate office on a daily basis. I 
appreciate her excellent work and colorful personality.


                         henderson thad huguley

  Thad Huguley, who has been with my Washington staff since 1992, hails 
from Lanett, AL. While a student at the University of Alabama, he 
served as vice president of the Student Government Association, was 
inducted into numerous campus leadership and scholastic honor 
societies, and worked as a part-time field reporter for the CBS 
affiliate in Tuscaloosa. He began working for me as a legislative 
correspondent. As a legislative assistant since late 1993, Thad has 
been responsible for telecommunications, commerce, environmental, 
banking, housing, transportation, and labor issues. He seems to have 
delved into virtually every possible issue area at one time or another. 
He is a jack-of-all-trades who was always able to master complex issues 
quickly. He has been a tremendous asset to my office and has been 
instrumental in helping set and accomplish our legislative agenda. He 
completed his master of arts in American history at American University 
in May 1996.


                           lea aldridge hurt

  Lea Hurt has been writing media releases, producing television and 
radio feeds and juggling reporter queries in my press office since July 
1991. Before joining my staff, she was a familiar face on my hometown 
television station, WOWL-15 NBC, in Florence, AL, where she anchored 
the evening news. After moving to Annapolis in 1990 to be with her new 
husband Jay, Lea worked as an assignment editor at Sun World Satellite 
News until I hired her a year later to be my assistant press secretary. 
Now, as communications director, Lea handles a wide range of issues. A 
native of Decatur, AL, Lea is the daughter of Linda and Walter Brooks. 
She attended Calhoun Community College in Decatur, where she was SGA 
president, before graduating from the University of North Alabama with 
a

[[Page S12437]]

degree in English. Lea and I work together every week to produce my 
weekly column. I figured recently that we have put out around 280 
columns on topics ranging from the balanced budget amendment to 
constituent services. I have appreciated her hard work, pleasant 
personality, and dedication. She always presents an attractive 
appearance. I wish her every future success.


                             brenda jarvis

  Brenda Jarvis knows Montgomery--everything from the city streets to 
the State legislature. It is her hometown as well as where she now 
lives with her husband Jake and two children, Heather and Ricki Marie. 
Brenda joined my staff as a field representative in 1990, working with 
constituents, State agencies, the State legislature, local governments 
and chambers of commerce. Prior to that, she served as a member of 
Governor George Wallace's staff from 1971 to 1979 as an administrative 
assistant working with legislation, extraditions, the Department of 
Corrections, the Board of Pardon and Parole, the Department of Public 
Safety, court matters as well as appointments to boards, agencies and 
courts. From 1983 to 1987, Governor Wallace appointed her to be 
assistant director of the State Commission on Aging responsible for the 
State administration of the Older Americans Act. With her extensive 
career background, Brenda has been an invaluable help to me in many 
matters over the years. I have enjoyed working with her.


                           mary janet johnson

  Jan Johnson was one of the original ``Howell's Angels'' in my 1978 
campaign for U.S. Senate. She and other volunteers worked many long 
hours for my election and, thanks to these efforts, we were successful. 
When I took office, Jan joined my staff working out of my Tuscumbia 
office as a field representative and State aide, continuing her legacy 
of long hours and hard work. In her 18 years on my Senate staff, Jan 
has traveled the State of Alabama like few others have. She knows the 
``where'' and the ``who'' and can tell you the always-fascinating 
history that goes with it. Jan was born in Franklin County to Oscar and 
Nelda Lois Jackson. She has a son, Jacob Johnson, and a daughter, Mary 
Elizabeth Johnson Cahoon. I have depended on her greatly over the years 
and have appreciated her hard work.


                              jeanne jones

  Since September 1982, Jeanne Jones has been a case worker and 
secretary in my Mobile office. For many years, Jeanne was the right-
hand for Bob Morrissette, my dear friend and field representative in 
Mobile who passed away only recently. The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. 
James C. Lloyd, Jeanne was born in Birmingham, AL. She graduated from 
Shades Valley High School and attended Jacksonville State University 
and the University of South Alabama. Jeanne moved to Juneau to work for 
the State of Alaska for 2 years before returning to Alabama to live in 
Mobile in 1971. She has three children: Jeri, Jana and Jill; one son-
in-law, Dirk, and two grandchildren, Taylor and Shelby. For 14 years, 
Jeanne has helped thousands of people in south Alabama with countless 
issues. I appreciate her dedicated work and tireless efforts on my 
behalf.


                         betty streeter lanier

  Betty Lanier has been serving on my staff for more than 10 years now 
as a secretary and staff assistant. Most recently, she has worked 
extensively with the legislative director, serving as his right hand in 
terms of managing his heavy load of casework, correspondence, and 
legislative schedule. Previously, Betty worked for Illinois Senator 
Paul Simon and for a short time for Congressman Claude Pepper's House 
of Representatives Subcommittee on Health and Long-term Care. She also 
worked for several offices within the Department of Justice, including 
the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which brought her to Washington. 
From the small Bullock County town of Midway, AL, Betty is endowed with 
a variety of talents. She is a member of the Congressional Chorus, and 
has performed with the group at inaugurations, annual lightings of the 
Capitol Christmas tree, and Kennedy Center Arts Festivals. In addition, 
she has taken several Shakespearean acting classes. A post and avid 
reader, she has done an outstanding job and brought a real cultural and 
artistic flair to the office.


                               alan leeth

  Alan Leeth has been a legislative assistant and counsel in my office 
since December 1995, responsible for banking, budget, tax issues and 
Indian affairs. In the year that he has been with me, he has helped me 
develop and plan legislative initiatives, monitor developments within 
committees and on the Senate floor. Alan is from Opelika, AL, and is 
the son of Roy and Carol Leeth. He graduated from the University of 
Alabama at Birmingham and received his law degree from my law school 
alma mater, the University of Alabama, where he met his wife Tracy. 
Alan has been a tremendous asset to my staff and I am sure I will 
continue to hear great things from him in the future.


                        william mansel long, jr.

  William Mansel Long, Jr. began working in my Washington office in 
1979 as a legislative assistant. Since that time, he has moved up the 
ranks and currently serves as legislative director. Mansel has proven 
himself to be a close friend, loyal employee, and trusted advisor. I 
have known him and his family for many years; he is also a native of 
Tuscumbia. He served in the Army for 2 years, earning a Good Conduct 
Medal. He received a bachelor of arts degree from Tennessee State 
University, and has taken graduate courses at Alabama A&M University, 
District of Columbia Teachers College, The American University, 
Catholic University, Trinity College, and George Washington University. 
Before joining my staff, Mansel was a social studies teacher, special 
education teacher, and a consultant for International Business 
Services. He has received numerous honors and awards, and received a 
Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Faulkner University in 1984. ``Dr. 
Long,'' as the staff affectionately calls him, has been an outstanding 
public servant and I could not imagine having served in the Senate 
without his assistance and leadership.


                              judy lovell

  Judy Lovell has been my correspondence manager since 1990. In those 6 
years, she has helped me develop and maintain an office mail management 
plan to deal with the thousands of letters we receive every week. Judy 
takes care of the mail in a full circle approach. She directs the 
incoming mail to the appropriate person and then oversees the final 
return mailing process, scrutinizing everything from grammar to 
content. Aside from her outstanding work, Judy is also known for her 
excellent bean dip, which we have been fortunate enough to frequently 
sample over the years. Before joining my staff, Judy worked for Senator 
Howard Cannon of Nevada from 1981 to 1983, and Senator John Danforth of 
Missouri from 1983 to 1990. She and her husband John live in Bowie, MD, 
and have four children: John, Tim, Terry, and Tracy; and one 
grandchild, Katy.


                             kristi mashon

  Kristi Mashon has taken on the herculean task of archiving documents 
from my career as a Senator and as chief justice of the Alabama Supreme 
Court. She has been working with me on this project since June 1995. 
Kristi previously served as archivist for Senator George Mitchell of 
Maine and is also currently working for Senator Patrick Leahy of 
Vermont. A native of Austin, TX, Kristi is the daughter of Les and 
Barbara King. She graduated from the University of Texas in 1988 and 
completed her graduate education at the University of Maryland in 1995. 
Kristi and her husband Mike have one daughter, Madeleine, who recently 
celebrated her second birthday. I have appreciated Kristi's thorough 
work and attention to detail. I am confident that my documents and 
memorabilia are in good hands.


                           kimberly mcdonald

  Kim has been with my staff since November 1991. She started out as a 
legislative correspondent, researching and formulating responses to 
constituent mail. In 1995, she was promoted to caseworker where she 
acts as a liaison between constituents and Federal, State or local 
government agencies. Her areas of responsibility include Aging, Foreign 
Affairs, Government Affairs, Health, Immigration, Labor, Postal Affairs 
and Social Security. As you can imagine, with such a wide range of 
issues, Kim stays busy. She has worked

[[Page S12438]]

with me to help countless Alabamians who thought they had no where to 
turn. It was only about a year ago that our staff celebrated Kim's 
marriage to Curtis F.M. McDonald, our last ``office'' wedding. I have 
enjoyed working with Kim and am sure that she will continue to achieve 
great things.


                              tom mcmahon

  Tom McMahon has been my press secretary since February 1989. As my 
chief spokesperson, Tom has to be conversant on a wide variety of 
issues. In this area he has proven himself as a true ``renaissance 
man,'' able to knowledgeably discuss everything from bankruptcy reform 
to crop insurance. Tom came to Washington in 1987 as press secretary to 
the late Representative Bill Nichols of Alabama. Prior to that, he 
worked in university relations at his alma mater, Auburn University. In 
fact, Tom leads the ``Auburn gang'' in my office as a former president 
of the Metro Washington Auburn Club. He graduated from Auburn in 1984 
with a degree in communications. Before graduation, he was station 
manager at Auburn's WEGL-FM radio and worked as an anchor and reporter 
at WAUD-AM radio, also in Auburn. He and his wife Diane, a native of 
Scottsboro, AL, now live in the Washington area. I have appreciated the 
outstanding work Tom has done over the years and am sure we will 
continue to hear great things from him in the future.


                          jacqueline a. natter

  Jackie joined my staff as a legislative correspondent in November 
1994, after serving an internship at the State Department's Bureau for 
Political-Military Affairs. While she was studying international 
relations and English at Georgetown University, from which she 
graduated in 1994, Jackie completed an internship in my office and 
worked as a research assistant for the National War College. As a self-
described ``military brat,'' her interest in military affairs started 
at a very young age, and has continued through her academic and 
professional work. Currently serving as a legislative assistant 
handling national defense, space, and veterans issues, Jackie also 
coordinates my military services academy nominations. She is the middle 
daughter of Rear Admiral Jack and Nancy Natter of Birmingham and is 
looking forward to returning to Alabama at some point in the future. 
She has been a valuable addition to my staff and I know she will make 
tangible contributions to the fields of national defense and foreign 
policy in the future.


                              barry phelps

  A native of the Birmingham, AL area, Barry Phelps moved to Washington 
in 1989 after completing his master of public administration and 
bachelor of arts degrees at the University of Alabama. He came to work 
for my office in the fall of 1990 as a legislative correspondent and 1 
year later became my speechwriter. Since that time, he has 
simultaneously handled legislative issues relating to foreign policy, 
international trade, and general governmental affairs. In addition to 
being an excellent ``wordsmith,'' Barry has also been instrumental to 
my work as chairman of the Senate delegation to the North Atlantic 
Assembly, traveling either with me or as my representative to NAA 
meetings in Berlin, Germany; Copenhagen, Denmark; Oslo, Norway; and 
Turin, Italy. In the fall of 1993, he began the graduate liberal arts 
program at Georgetown University, attending classes in the evenings and 
on weekends. He completed his master of arts degree there in April 
1996, concentrating his studies in the area of international affairs. 
We were not surprised to learn that Barry was ranked first in his 
graduating class and had the honor of serving as commencement marshall.


                             robert schultz

  Bob Schultz has been an outstanding recent addition to my staff in 
Washington. A Pennsylvania native and graduate of Dickinson College in 
Carlisle, Rob was brought on board earlier this year to handle the 
important task of compiling and summarizing my 18-year Senate 
legislative record. He completed a similar project for former Senator 
Don Riegle of Michigan in 1993 and 1994. Since he has been here, he has 
compiled my record in certain policy areas, such as defense and foreign 
policy, agriculture, court reform and judiciary, civil rights, and 
space exploration and NASA. Rob has done an incredible job under severe 
time constraints, and we could not have succeeded without him.


                            barbara sherrill

  I noted in my retirement announcement that Tuscumbia, AL, is the best 
little town in America to go home to. Barbara Sherrill, a secretary and 
caseworker in my Tuscumbia office, figured that out years ago. A native 
of Waukegan, IL, Barbara worked in Washington, DC, for the Air Force at 
the Pentagon. Her husband, Estes, is a native of Tuscumbia, so in 1971 
after he retired as an Air Force pilot, their family moved back to that 
area. Barbara joined my staff in 1985, working with my chief of staff, 
the late Bill Gardiner. Her assistance has been invaluable to me as 
well as to the many constituents who call or drop by the Tuscumbia 
office seeking help. She has said that her greatest reward is hearing 
constituents say that the help they received from our office has made a 
difference in their lives. Barbara has three children--Beth, Martha, 
and Andy--and three grandchildren--Benjamin, Elizabeth, and Rachel.


                             samantha smith

  Two positions in a Senate office that are usually considered 
``gatekeepers'' to the member are receptionist and personal scheduler. 
By that definition, Samantha Smith is the ultimate ``gatekeeper,'' 
serving on my staff since August 1993--first as a receptionist and then 
as scheduler. Born in Florence, AL, she is the middle daughter of Judge 
and Mrs. Larry Mack Smith. Samantha graduated from Hollins College in 
Virginia in 1992 with a degree in French. She spent a total of 2 years 
in France both as a student and as a teacher before joining my staff. 
Her ability to juggle the hectic schedule requests that come into my 
office has been a tremendous asset to me. I appreciate the fine job she 
has done.


                             mary k. speis

  Mary Speis has been with my staff ever since the beginning of my 
tenure in 1979. Her career on Capitol Hill, however, goes all the way 
back to 1965, when she served as an assistant to former Illinois 
Congressman Barratt O'Hara. A native of Washington, DC, her Alabama 
ties came about thanks to her sister, Jackie, who worked for Alabama 
Congressman Tom Bevill before moving to Athens, Greece to be with her 
husband, a native of that beautiful country. Mary has often visited her 
sister in Greece during the summer recess periods. A graduate of the 
University of Maryland with a fine arts degree, she landed a job with 
former Alabama Senator James B. Allen working with the legislative 
assistants. In 1978, after the death of Senator Allen, she worked for 
his wife, Marion, who succeeded him in the Senate. In 1979, she came to 
my office to serve as an aid to the legislative assistants. In 1985, 
she began working as my personal assistant and has become very special 
to me and the rest of the staff.


                        yolanda angeline turner

  Yolanda Turner came on board our ``Senate ship'' in August 1992 as a 
staff assistant working with the office manager and correspondence 
management staff. The daughter of Mrs. Velda A. Ragland and Mr. Glenn 
A. Turner, she is from Suitland, MD. Her mother and sister, Monique A. 
Turner, work for Senator Bill Bradley, just down the hall from Yolanda. 
Their work in the Senate is truly a ``family affair.'' Before joining 
our office, she was a clerk typist for the resource management staff at 
the U.S. Department of Agriculture. We were all excited earlier this 
year by the birth of Yolanda's daughter, Breanna Akira Turner.


                             Stanley vines

  If you want to know about voting statistics and election demographics 
in the State of Alabama, Stanley Vines is the man to see. With over 20 
years of involvement in Alabama politics, he has gathered a wealth of 
information about voting trends. Stanley's political bloodline runs 
deep--his father's family has been active in politics in the Bessemer 
area for over a century. He began political work in 1976 and since that 
time, has set up phone banks and helped runs numerous campaigns for 
Alabama candidates. Stanley began serving as field representative in my 
Birmingham office in 1982, after a 41-year career with American Cast 
Iron Pipe Co. In the years since, he has helped me better present the 
people of

[[Page S12439]]

Alabama by keeping me abreast of the issues and events going on in that 
area. Born in Watson, AL, Stanley graduated from Birmingham's Phillips 
High School and attended Jefferson State Junior College. Stanley and 
his wife, Ethel Catherine Vines, have two sons, Thomas and James.


                              heidi wagner

  Heidi Wagner has served as a front-office receptionist in my personal 
office and most recently as clerk and staff assistant for the 
Subcommittee on Administrative Oversight and the Courts minority staff. 
A Mobile, AL native, she graduated from the University of South Alabama 
and is working on a masters degree at American University here in 
Washington. She is the portrait of cool under pressure, since she is 
always able to handle even the most demanding tasks and situations with 
grace, professionalism, and good humor. She is sort of a word 
``connoisseur,'' constantly challenging staff with the presentation of 
new words and definitions to enhance their vocabulary. Her ``Word of 
the Day'' feature appearing on computer screens each morning was often 
a welcome way to begin the day.


                             sally walburn

  The first voice you hear when you call into my Washington office is 
that of Sally Walburn. Her cheery ``Senator Heflin's office, this is 
Sally. May I help you?'' has opened up hundreds of conversations with 
Alabamians. Sally has been my receptionist since June 1996. A native of 
Tuscaloosa, AL, she is the youngest child of Dr. and Mrs. James 
Walburn. Sally graduated from Ole Miss in May 1996 with a degree in 
English. Although her time on my staff has been brief, she has 
demonstrated her outstanding abilities in dealing with constituents on 
the ``front line.'' I wish her every future success.


                          james g. whiddon iii

  Jim Whiddon is currently serving as my counsel on the Subcommittee on 
Administrative Oversight and the Courts and as legislative assistant 
for energy and natural resources issues. He has done an outstanding job 
on these and other issues that have come his way since joining the 
staff in 1993. He has been especially helpful on bankruptcy reform and 
the constitutional amendment to ban flag burning. Before moving to 
Washington, he worked in Atlanta. Jim, a native of Montgomery, attended 
the University of Alabama, where he earned his bachelor of science 
degree at Samford University in Birmingham, where he obtained his juris 
doctor degree from the Cumberland School of Law. He served as a law 
clerk to the Honorable Rodney R. Steele, Chief Judge of the U.S. 
Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Alabama.


                         janetta whitt-mitchell

  Janetta Whitt-Mitchell is a native of Mobile, AL. She graduated from 
Tuskegee University and is a longtime community activist and energetic 
advocate for the improvement of social conditions. Through her work as 
my Mobile field representative and other leadership activities, she had 
helped communities address needs related to health care, employment, 
human rights, education, law enforcement, economics, and drug abuse. 
She is a member of the New South Coalition and an associate of the 
National Organization for Women. She is also first vice president of 
Mobile's Human Rights Commission and serves on the board of directors 
of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women's Mobile County Chapter. 
The daughter of Mr. Charles and Mrs. Mary Lee Whitt, she is married to 
Dr. Joseph Colvis Mitchell. Janetta has been an invaluable member of my 
State staff and I truly appreciate her hard work and advocacy on so 
many issues and projects.

                          ____________________