[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 103 (Tuesday, July 28, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9149-S9150]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      IN HONOR OF MICHAEL QUEENAN

 Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, for nearly three years I have had 
the privilege to know Michael Queenan, who has served in my office as a 
Legislative Correspondent, and is leaving the extended Kerry family 
this month to attend law school. I like to say that Michael Queenan was 
the best Christmas present my colleague from Massachusetts Rep. Ed 
Markey ever sent to my office. Three years ago I was searching for a 
bright young person to bring new energy to our staff. We interviewed a 
long list of prospective candidates and, although many were terrific, 
the right staffer just did not turn up. One day, late in December, some 
of our staff members were struggling to fit the office Christmas tree 
into its stand in the front office. Almost out of nowhere appeared a 
young man, an intern from Rep. Markey's office, dropping off a letter 
to be signed. After a minute or two, this intern had taken off his 
coat, rolled up his sleeves, and was at work trimming our office 
Christmas tree. We quickly found out that this young man was a recent 
graduate of Clark University and a native of Winchester, Massachusetts. 
His name was Michael Queenan. In just a few days he was done with his 
internship for Rep. Markey--and he was the newest member of our staff! 
From the first day he walked into our office in the Russell Building--
even before he was hired--- Michael demonstrated a willingness to pitch 
in and contribute on any project, large or small. He brought a 
tremendous work ethic and energy to his duties, first as a Staff 
Assistant tirelessly working on the front phones and later as a 
Legislative Correspondent. After he joined our legislative staff, 
Michael Queenan also discovered a genuine passion for the most vital 
issues facing working families today. He spent hours researching 
legislation, responding to constituent concerns, and pouring his 
energies into the lengthy and at times tedious legislative process. 
Mike was hard at work over the last two years, assisting our 
Legislative Assistants, on issues ranging from raising the minimum wage 
to making health care affordable, college opportunity accessible to 
eradicating the A.I.D.S epidemic. In his own way--quietly, 
persistently--Michael contributed to the passage of legislation that 
made life better for the people of Massachusetts and for working people 
around the country.
  Michael Queenan, however, was always more than just a policy staffer.

[[Page S9150]]

He was a presence in our office. As the director of our intern program 
and the manager of our softball team, Michael Queenan established 
himself as an enthusiastic leader on our staff. As a former intern, he 
made it a personal goal for every one of our interns to have a positive 
experience, to learn from their observations of the Senate at work, and 
to glean from their time in our office the value of hard work. Michael 
also brought to our office his fierce competitiveness on the softball 
field, earning the nickname ``Wheels'' for his speed and tenacity on 
the base-paths. Michael might well have earned that title for the hours 
he spent in my 1982 Dodge convertible, accompanying me to events around 
Washington.
  Mr. President, I wish Michael well as he leaves my office to attend 
law school this summer. I will always be grateful for the hard work and 
long hours he dedicated to his job in my office, and I will be equally 
grateful for his friendship, one that will continue long after Michael 
moves back to Massachusetts. I know that I join his parents, Fran 
Holland and Dick Queenan, in expressing my pride at what Michael has 
accomplished, and great hopes and warmest wishes for the bright future 
ahead of him.

                          ____________________