[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 73 (Thursday, May 15, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E979-E980]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  TRIBUTE TO CHARLES MICHAEL DURISHIN

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. LANE EVANS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 15, 2003

  Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to publicly recognize and thank 
our Democratic Staff Director, Charles Michael Durishin, for his many 
years of public service. Michael dedicated his entire career to public 
service. He is retiring this week after more than 30 years of 
outstanding service to the United

[[Page E980]]

States Congress. Michael has spent most of his professional career on 
the staff of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs. Since the 105th 
Congress, he has led the Democratic Staff of the Full Committee as our 
Staff Director.
  Michael graduated from Birmingham Southern College in 1969 and 
attended graduate school at Memphis State University. He began his 
career in public service as a VISTA volunteer in South Dakota. While 
Michael's VISTA pay was low, the benefits were priceless. In South 
Dakota, Mike met and married his lovely wife, Jo Ann Gerhardt (Joey). 
Joey and Mike have one son, Michael who is a senior at George Mason 
University.
  In January of 1973 Michael came to Washington with the staff of 
former Senator James Abourezk, (D-SD). He later served as a senior 
Legislative Assistant to the current Democratic Leader of the United 
States Senate, Tom Daschle, during Senator Daschle's tenure in the 
House of Representatives.
  Michael has spent over 16 years on the staff of the House Veterans 
Affairs Committee, first as a professional staff member for the former 
Subcommittee on Education, Training and Employment and later as Staff 
Director of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and 
finally as Democratic Staff Director for the Full Committee on Veterans 
Affairs. Immediately prior to his service as Democratic Staff Director 
for the House Committee, Michael spent two years as the Deputy 
Postmaster of the United States Senate.
  Michael's extensive knowledge of veterans' issues coupled with his 
knowledge of the political process has been of immense assistance to 
me. When we worked together on the Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations, Michael was a leader in monitoring the quality of 
benefits and health care services provided to veterans by the 
Department of Veterans Affairs. As Democratic Staff Director for the 
Full Committee, he has worked with colleagues to affect passage of 
legislation I introduced. Michael was especially helpful in working on 
legislation to improve education benefits under the Montgomery G.I. 
Bill, to improve veterans' employment opportunities, to help end 
homelessness among veterans and in overseeing the work of the 
Democratic staff.
  Committee members will miss Michael's knowledge and political 
astuteness. Committee staff will miss his reassuring presence, his 
wonderful smile, his careful editing, his insight and his wealth of 
information. Our Nation's veterans will miss his dedication to truth 
and integrity. I will miss a dedicated public servant and a good 
friend.
  I want to thank Michael for his decades of service to the public good 
and his many acts of personal kindness. Michael, we will miss you. May 
you enjoy your well-earned retirement.

                          ____________________