[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.

                          ____________________