[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 54 (Thursday, April 26, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H1650]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   JOELLE RICE RETIRES AFTER 34 YEARS

  (Mr. HASTERT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, today I want to thank Joelle Rice, the 
assistant manager of the cloakroom, who is retiring from the Hill after 
34 years of dedicated service. Joelle is responsible for making this 
House run smoothly. Day after day, Joelle keeps Members and staff up to 
date on what is happening on the floor. She lets us know what we are 
voting on, what time we are voting, and what time votes will end. 
Members have relied on her for years for good information; and no 
matter how busy she is and no matter how many phones are ringing off 
the hook, she delivers.
  Thank you, Joelle, for all that you have done for us. You have served 
this Congress well. Joelle, we wish you and your husband, Wes, the best 
in your future years together. Thank you.
  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. HASTERT. I yield to the gentleman from Ohio.
  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, thank you for yielding. On behalf of us as 
individual Members, and even more importantly our offices, as Members 
go through the day all day long every day trying to find out when we 
are going to vote. All of our staff and all of us as Members talk to 
Joelle or others in the cloakroom on an ongoing basis from morning 
until late at night. As a Member who has been here for 10 years and on 
behalf of my staff who talks to her often, Joelle has been an 
invaluable asset to make our lives work, to make sure that we are here 
when we need to be here, and I know how much all of the staff across 
the street and all of the Members appreciate her worthwhile efforts.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. HASTERT. I yield to the gentleman from Maryland.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I 
want to rise on behalf of all of the Members on this side of the aisle. 
Joelle works for the majority. She used to work for the minority, and I 
was in the majority. Joelle and I have switched places. And I have been 
here 20 years, so I have known Joelle for a long, long time. I think I 
speak for everybody on our side of the aisle, Mr. Speaker, that she is 
perhaps not equally, because I do not want to get her in trouble with 
the majority, but she is very helpful to us, always courteous, always 
with a good word, always cheerful, and has made this institution a 
better place.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of all of us on this side of the aisle, she 
has operated in a nonpartisan, bipartisan, efficient and effective way 
to make this institution run better; and we all join, Mr. Speaker, in 
congratulating her and thanking her for her service to this institution 
and to her country.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. HASTERT. I yield to the gentleman from New York.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I want to join the Speaker for taking this 
time to honor Joelle Rice, who has been of invaluable assistance to so 
many of us with her warm personality and always willing to be of help. 
We are going to miss Joelle. She is not only married this year, but now 
retiring. We wish her health and happiness in her years ahead.
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. HASTERT. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, if I may close this and if I may dare speak 
for the body, Joelle, we wish you Godspeed; and in the best spirit of a 
Texas country western song, let me say, we miss you already, and you 
are not even gone.

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