[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 27 (Tuesday, March 12, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E325]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       A TRIBUTE TO NANCY BLOOMER

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MARK STEVEN KIRK

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 12, 2002

  Mr. KIRK. Mr. Speaker, many of our colleagues and staff will 
celebrate the service of Nancy Bloomer to our country tomorrow.
  Nancy served the House International Relations Committee for many 
years, both in the minority prior to 1995 and in recent years in the 
majority. The committee dealt with critical issues of our time--the 
cold war, Central America, Desert Storm, Haiti, Bosnia, and Iraq. After 
the elections in 1994, Nancy and the new committee staff director, Rich 
Garon, assembled a team that helped guide this House through the 
transition to a Republican majority.
  Many people did not know what a Republican majority would do at the 
helm of the committee. Barely anyone was around in 1954 when 
Republicans last took charge. Under Chairman Ben Gilman, Nancy and the 
committee team leapt into action as dedicated internationalists, 
committed to America's role in the world. We passed key parts of the 
Contract with America, the American Overseas Interests Act and numerous 
other pieces of legislation designed to strengthen U.S. foreign policy.
  I was a staff member of that team. I remember Nancy as the complete 
professional, helping Chairman Gilman organize many different member 
requests into a coherent whole. In those days after the cold war and 
before the War on Terror, it was hard to build a central core of 
members with a common vision of America's role in the world. It took 
vision by members of this body and it took solid staff work by Nancy 
and her colleagues through endless hours spent between hearings, 
markups and consideration of legislation on the floor.
  Nancy should be very proud of her work. Congress has played a strong 
hand in modernizing the State Department, paying our dues to the United 
Nations and backing up key allies in need. We also played the leading 
humanitarian role in feeding starving North Koreans and helping 
refugees around the world. Much of this work would not have been done 
or would have not looked easy to do without Nancy's contribution to her 
country. As she departs the Congress after years of service, we wish 
her well and know that America is stronger overseas in part due to the 
service of Nancy Bloomer.

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