[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 74 (Wednesday, June 14, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5069-S5070]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING JIM TALBERT'S RETIREMENT FROM SENATE
Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, let me make a very important correction. The
gentleman I am going to speak about briefly is going to be moving to
South Dakota, not South Carolina. He obviously likes cooler weather and
not hot weather. He deserves to be able to go wherever he chooses after
the great service he has provided to the Congress.
I want to take a moment to say goodbye on behalf of the Senate to a
man we know quite well. I know Senator Daschle is going to join me in
this and make some comments, either in a few minutes or later. I am
talking about Jim Talbert, who is Superintendent of the Senate's
Periodical Press Gallery and is retiring this week after 32 years of
service.
Jim and I came to the House of Representatives in the same year,
1968. He was hired in the House Daily Press Gallery, and I was hired as
an aide to then-Congressman Bill Colmer, chairman of the Rules
Committee. Twenty-three years and five Speakers later, Jim crossed the
DMZ in the Capitol to the Senate to be Superintendent of the Periodical
Press Gallery.
Early on, Jim figured out what it took to get things done around
here: know the rules. He knew them. That is why he became such a
valuable resource. His expertise on congressional procedure is widely
recognized and consulted by rookie reporters, veteran correspondents,
and, yes, even by an occasional Senator or House Member who knows that
he spent those many years in the House. His generosity in sharing his
knowledge and time has brought him a great many friends on the second
and third floors of this Capitol.
I have a letter from the Executive Committee of Correspondents that
describes in the reporters' words all Jim has accomplished on their
behalf in the Senate. I ask unanimous consent that that letter be
printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the letter was ordered to be printed in the
Record, as follows:
[[Page S5070]]
Congress of the United States,
Senate Periodical Press Gallery,
Washington, DC, June 7, 2000.
Jim Talbert,
Superintendent, Senate Periodical Press Gallery, U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC.
Dear Jim: The Executive Committee of Correspondents conveys
its gratitude on behalf of the more than 250 publications and
1,700 reporters who benefited from your nine years as
superintendent of the United States Senate Periodical Press
Gallery.
The transformation you have made running the press gallery
has been nothing short of historic. The gallery has never
operated in a more professional manner. The gallery staff was
never better educated about the legislative process nor more
knowledgeable of what is happening at any given moment on the
Senate floor. Reporters never had a better opportunity of
snagging a seat and testimony at a crowded hearing. Functions
such as accrediting reporters and publications never operated
in a more even-handed, efficient manner.
During your tenure, there was never a doubt that a reporter
calling the gallery to ask about pending legislation would
get an immediate and informed answer.
You deserve credit for what you have accomplished. You also
earn our praise for leaving in your wake a highly trained and
motivated staff. The personal zeal you displayed in
understanding the often complicated legislative process was
infectious and you were a good teacher.
While replacing Jim Talbert is out of the question, since
you certainly are one of a kind, the mark you leave on the
gallery will remain long after you enter your well-deserved
retirement. The seeds you sowed will help reporters covering
Congress for years to come.
We wish you and Judy a happy retirement to South Dakota
filled with good health and mild winters.
Sincerely,
Rick Maze,
Chairman.
Cheryl Bolen,
Secretary-Treasurer.
Richard E. Cohen.
Jay Carney.
Heidi Glenn.
Amy Borrus.
Tim Curran.
Mr. LOTT. While Jim no longer will be toiling with us every day, he
is keeping his favorite jobs: husband, father, and grandfather. I am a
little envious, to tell the truth. He and his wife, Judy, whom he met
while working in the Capitol, are moving to her native South Dakota.
It is typical of Jim that he didn't want a big bang, a big fuss over
his departure. But we couldn't let him go without first wishing him
well and saying, ``Thanks, Jim. You have earned it.''
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Democratic leader.
Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I join the majority leader in his
commendation of an extraordinary part of this wonderful institution.
Jim Talbert, as the majority leader has indicated, is retiring at the
end of this week as the Superintendent of the Senate Periodical Press
Gallery. He is one of hundreds of members of our Capitol family whom C-
SPAN viewers never see but without whom this institution would simply
not function. He has served Congress with distinction for 32 years.
Born on February 22, 1943, in Washington, D.C., he has resided here
all of his life. He graduated from the University of Maryland with a
degree in journalism in 1964 and began his career on Capitol Hill in
1966, covering politics for the Timmons News Service.
In 1968, he joined the House Daily Press Gallery where he worked for
23 years. Much to our good fortune, he came to the Senate in 1991 as
the Superintendent of the Senate Periodical Press Gallery. The
periodical gallery is one of three press galleries in the Senate. It is
the nerve center for Capitol Hill reporters representing national and
local magazines and newsletters. More than 1,700 journalists
representing 250 different news organizations are credentialed to use
the Periodical Press Gallery to file stories, stay in contact with home
offices, and get information on Senate activities. As head of the
periodical gallery, Jim approves credentials for reporters covering
Capitol Hill. He acts as a liaison between the press and Senate staff
and keeps up-to-the-minute information on what is happening on the
Senate floor.
Reporters do not turn to Jim simply for information about where a
press conference is being held or when a bill might be coming to the
floor. They also depend on his vast knowledge of Senate history and
legislative procedure to make sense of our sometimes confusing
parliamentary rules. He is a professional, an efficient and fairminded
person in carrying out all of his duties. He is also generous and
always has a humorous story to share.
While his departure will have reporters scrambling to find a good
source on Senate procedure, he can leave knowing that the periodical
gallery staff he has worked so hard to train is committed to
maintaining his same high standards.
Besides his retirement, Jim will celebrate another happy milestone
this year. In 1995, Jim was diagnosed with throat cancer. In his 5-year
fight to beat cancer, he endured several rounds of radiation treatment
and surgery and missed only 1 month of work. Recently, Jim was declared
cancer free.
Finally, I always sensed that there was something unusually wise
about Jim. That hunch was confirmed recently when I learned that he and
his wife, Judy, will be moving to her hometown, Brookings, SD, home of
South Dakota State University. I can't think of a better place to
retire. I am glad to call them constituents and look forward to seeing
them many times in my State and now their State.
I wish Jim and Judy well. Jim has served this Senate with dedication
and distinction. I look forward to being able to serve with him, for a
change, as his Senator. I wish him and Judy all of the best as they
begin their new life in South Dakota.
____________________