[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 151 (Wednesday, October 21, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S12903]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        A TRIBUTE TO SUSY SMITH

 Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to 
Susy Smith, who has served as my Legislative Director for nearly my 
entire Senate career. Her contributions to my legislative efforts have 
been without parallel, and she leaves with an impressive record of 
achievement and the profound respect of all who have been fortunate 
enough to work with her.
  Susy is one of those unique people who knows how to make government 
work for its people. Her work in the Carter administration, along with 
her more than ten years as a top level congressional aide to 
Congressman Norm Mineta, Senator Barbara Mikulski, and myself, have 
been a testament to both her talent and commitment to public service. 
Her quiet leadership, innate sense of judgment, and uncanny ability to 
stay on top of dozens of issues pending before the Senate made her an 
enormously valuable asset to my office.
  Susy also possesses a deep and abiding faith in the American 
political process, and the role that Congress plays in our 
constitutional system of government. She has helped me imbue my staff 
with a sense of their duty to serve the people of California, together 
with the knowledge that the work we do here truly makes a difference in 
people's lives back home.
  Susy has played a vital role in helping to pass some of my most 
important legislative initiatives such as the Desert Protection Act, 
the Assault Weapons Ban, and the Breast Cancer Research Stamp Act. In 
fact, over the past 5 years, Susy has put her indelible stamp on every 
piece of legislation that came out of my office. Her hard work has paid 
off not just for the people of California, but for the entire Nation--
in safer streets, in more money for cancer research, in better health 
care for America's women, and in national parks that all of us can 
enjoy, to name just a few.
  What stands out most about Susy is her wonderful ability to bring out 
the best of everyone. Her good judgement, great sense of humor, and 
supportive nature carried the staff through many tough battles, long 
days, and stressful times. She is not only a sharp political strategist 
and astute policy analyst, but a terrific manager and steadying 
presence in the office. I have appreciated her professional spirit and 
have placed much confidence in her decision making and perspective.
  So it is with a deep sense of admiration, some sadness, and heartfelt 
good wishes that my staff and I say goodbye to Susy, secure in the 
knowledge that she will be just as successful in all her future 
endeavors as she has been working in the U.S. Senate.

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