[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 42 (Thursday, April 6, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S2344]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO SARAH DAHLIN

   Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I rise today to strongly commend 
and honor Sarah Dahlin of Vermillion, South Dakota. Sarah has been a 
highly-valued member of my legislative staff for approximately eight 
years, and I wanted to take this opportunity to publicly thank her for 
years of hard work and dedication to the people of South Dakota. Sarah 
will no longer be working on my staff after this week, and I, along 
with my entire staff, will miss her greatly. I have had the pleasure of 
knowing Sarah and her family for years, as we are both residents of 
Vermillion.
  Fortunately for us and for Congress, Ms. Dahlin will not be leaving 
Capitol Hill, as she will be joining the office of Representative Karen 
McCarthy. Sarah is truly a public servant, as demonstrated by her 
efforts in my office since 1992, when she joined my staff in the House 
of Representatives as a legislative correspondent. Sarah quickly earned 
my trust and confidence, as well as that of my senior staff, and she 
soon became a legislative assistant covering my Natural Resources 
Committee assignment, as well as a whole range of issues, from energy 
and environment, to defense and education, issues that are critically 
important to South Dakota. Issues and projects that Sarah has worked on 
for me and the people of South Dakota are too numerous to list, but 
Sarah has left a lasting contribution in many ways, from helping rural 
transit-providers receive a fair share of federal transit funds to 
helping South Dakota recover from devastating blizzards and flooding. 
Sarah's efforts over a number of years have helped make the Springfield 
bridge over the Missouri River a reality, with the Vermillion bridge 
not far behind. Sarah is the staff person who worked with me to pass an 
amendment to secure federal funds for the ongoing rehabilitation of the 
James River in South Dakota, an effort that will have a longstanding 
positive impact on the James River valley. She has helped create a new 
National Park Service facility to preserve a missile silo site, as well 
as help preserve important historical sites known as Spirit Mound and 
Blood Run.
  After working on my House staff for more than four years, Sarah moved 
over to my Senate staff where she became a Senior Legislative 
Assistant. As well as staffing my Energy and Natural Resources 
Committee assignment during the last three plus years I have served in 
the Senate, most recently Sarah has also been responsible for staffing 
my Senate Budget Committee assignment. During consideration of the 
fiscal year 2000 and 2001 budget resolutions, Sarah has been 
instrumental in the passage of my amendments to increase funding for 
veterans health care, as well as the passage of an amendment to create 
a reserve fund for military retirees health care.
  I know Sarah's parents, family, friends and colleagues are all very 
proud of her. She has a wonderful career and life in front of her, and 
I know she will continue to succeed at whatever she chooses to do. 
Hopefully she will have an opportunity to one day again serve the 
people of South Dakota. Mr. President, on behalf of my wife Barbara and 
I, and my entire staff, I want to thank Sarah Dahlin for her dedication 
and years of hard work for the people of South Dakota.

                          ____________________