[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 167 (Wednesday, December 21, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S14294]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    RETIREMENT OF MR. ROBERT J. SHUE

  Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to Robert J. Shue, 
a senior official in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, 
Comptroller, who in early January, 2006, will retire from a 
distinguished career spanning 37 years of exemplary service to America.
  Mr. Shue began his career serving over 13 years in the Bureau of 
Economic Analysis in the Department of Commerce. He joined the 
Department of Defense in 1982 and quickly became a highly valuable 
member of the Secretary of Defense's staff.
  During his 23 years in the Comptroller's office, Mr. Shue was a 
highly respected leader and expert on the Defense Department budget and 
a wide range of related matters. He played a critical role in the 
formulation, approval, and execution of defense budgets that produced a 
much-needed strengthening of America's defense posture and enabled our 
military to fulfill its many demanding commitments.
  Mr. Shue developed and led a diverse staff of analysts and liaison 
officers and made his office the Defense Department's primary leader in 
tracking and resolving high-level budget issues. He meticulously 
tracked numerous and complex actions affecting the funding available to 
the Department. He was a pivotal leader in presenting and justifying 
each new budget to the Congress and the American public.
  Mr. Shue was vital to the Department's analysis of congressional 
action on Defense Department funding and to devising strategies to 
influence that action. He skillfully led staff in achieving and 
sustaining a highly productive relationship with congressional 
oversight committees. This resulted in accurate and constructive 
information flow between Congress and the Department, helping each meet 
its responsibilities more successfully.
  Mr. Shue produced substantial top-quality analysis on complex 
economic, fiscal, and budget topics for the Secretary of Defense and 
other senior DoD leaders. He also improved support for these leaders by 
initiating important management reforms that saved staff time and 
improved the quality of decision making data.
  For his extraordinary achievements, Mr. Shue received the 
Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Service. He earned the deep 
respect of leaders throughout the Department of Defense, in the Office 
of Management and Budget, and with Congress's defense oversight 
committees. These leaders benefited enormously from his exceptional 
knowledge and dedication. Mr. Shue's service has substantially helped 
our Nation's leaders make the wisest possible allocation of its defense 
resources in order to ensure America's future security.
  Throughout his distinguished career, Mr. Shue has had the resolute 
support of his wife, Suzi, and his three children. He has earned the 
deep gratitude of the American people. I wish Mr. Shue and his family 
all the best in the coming years.

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