[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 12 (Wednesday, February 4, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E109]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO MR. BRIAN L. POTTS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOE KNOLLENBERG

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 4, 2004

  Mr. KNOLLENBERG. Mr. Speaker, I know that you and my distinguished 
colleagues are aware that we usually appear before the House of 
Representatives to voice the concerns of our constituents on matters 
related to the legislative process and about particular issues 
associated with bills that warrant our attention. Yet, while debating 
the issues of the day, we often take for granted the hard work and 
dedication required to transform an idea into a bill, and a bill into a 
law. It is with these thoughts in mind that I am here today to pay 
tribute to Mr. Brian L. Potts, a dedicated staff member of the House 
Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Military Construction.
  Brian is departing the House Appropriations Committee at the end of 
this week to begin a new position with the Senate Appropriations 
Committee. His departure is a loss that will be felt for quite some 
time, yet it is good to know that we have another friend working in the 
Senate.
  Brian came to the Committee from the Naval Audit Service as a 
Detailee in 1997 and joined the Committee staff in January 1999, and 
his contributions to the Committee are many. He has always been a 
focused and hard working individual who conducts himself with the 
utmost professionalism, and his strengths and accomplishments are many. 
As a Certified Public Accountant Brian has a keen ability to cut to the 
heart of a Department of Defense audit report and find savings that 
have offset the costs of the Military Construction bill. Simply put, 
Mr. Speaker, Brian is a wizard with spreadsheets and tables, and an 
invaluable support to the Subcommittee clerk.
  During my tenure as the Chairman of the Military Construction 
Appropriations Subcommittee, I have found Brian to be a quietly 
powerful and effective staff member, possessing the unique ability to 
impart a sense of calmness to emotionally charged situations. One of 
his finest characteristics is his ability to treat others with kindness 
and respect. Brian views his job as a privilege and feels fortunate to 
contribute. These are rare qualities that enable him to effectively 
carry out his duties and have opened the door to new opportunities for 
him in the Senate.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate Mr. Brian Potts on his career, 
his time spent doing invaluable work for the House Committee on 
Appropriations, Subcommittee on Military Construction, and to thank him 
for his outstanding service to this great legislative body. Finally, I 
ask for God's Blessings as Brian embarks on this phase of his career 
with the Senate Appropriations Committee, which is very lucky to have 
him.

                          ____________________