[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 106 (Thursday, September 9, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8982-S8983]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO SUSAN WOOTEN WELLS

  Mr. LOTT. Madam President, I rise to pay tribute this morning to 
Susan Wooten Wells, a native of Jackson, MS, who today is marking her 
30th year on my staff.
  Many of you knew Susan when she worked with me in the leader's 
office. She started off as a scheduler but over the years worked up to 
be executive assistant and then was administrative assistant in the 
majority leader's office. Today she serves as the majority staff 
director of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, and she has 
overseen a lot of the moves and renovations and has worked with 
Senators and their staffs on a number of issues over the past year and 
a half, and has done a wonderful job.
  I first met her in 1974, when she was starting out, teaching eighth 
grade English in my hometown of Pascagoula, MS.
  Despite the fact she is an alumnus of the other university in my 
State, Mississippi State University, and I am a graduate of the 
University of Mississippi--she is very proud of that institution, and 
she points out that comedian Jerry Clower and thriller author John 
Grisham and Washington Redskin Fred Smoot are also graduates of that 
university, so over the years we have had fun picking at each other 
about our alma maters--she came to Washington and worked with me for 
what was supposed to be 1 year, helping me out in a crunch to get my 
staff filled and to do the scheduling.
  Well, here she is 30 years later. She has had a tremendous influence 
on my office operations, on my life, and I believe on this institution. 
I am very proud of the fact she went from being an English teacher--and 
helping me with my English along the way--to being a real leader on my 
staff for these many years.
  In fact, I refer to her as my Mikey, from the old television 
commercial. I used to call Paul Coverdell, the great Senator from 
Georgia, Mikey because if we had a task nobody else wanted or would not 
do, Mikey would do it. Well, that has been Susan on my staff. If there 
needed to be something done and we wanted it done right, Susan would 
handle the job.
  When I decided years ago to bring 150 Mississippians to annual events 
here in the city for a day-long seminar, she made it happen. When I 
decided to bring in entire communities from Hancock County to cook 
gumbo for the congressional community once a year, she got the 
assignment, and she made it happen. It turned out to be a tremendous 
event. A lot of people enjoyed it and everybody benefited from it. In 
the process, she did go from being one of

[[Page S8983]]

the staff members to being a real leader in the majority leader's 
office.
  She helped expedite the construction of the Capitol Visitor Center. I 
believe history will look back on it, when it is completed, as one of 
the wisest things we have done in maybe 100 years in terms of this 
Capitol and the security of our constituents, their convenience and 
safety and education as they see this building and all it stands for. 
She oversaw a lot of the Capitol restoration, including changes in this 
Chamber. She helped me with the Leader's Lecture Series which turned 
out to be an acclaimed program of oral history lectures by former 
Senate leaders and Vice Presidents.
  Parts of our public and private lives over this time obviously have 
been intertwined. We have shared three decades of America's triumphs 
and three decades of accomplishments for our beloved State of 
Mississippi. Together we have also endured tragedies that have befallen 
our country and our families. In fact, last month the love of her life, 
Milton Wells, passed away, and I shared her grief at that moment and 
continue to work with her as she comes through this difficult period.
  Throughout this time she has been loyal, she has been respectful. She 
has been very helpful to many people. I could not let this day pass 
without making a public record of my appreciation for Susan Wooten 
Wells and her service to this institution.
  So many times we forget to say thank you to the people who are on our 
staffs, who work day in and day out for us, the people in this Chamber, 
the people who make this place function, who serve us and help us in so 
many ways. We should not forget to say a small word of thanks.

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