[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 134 (Thursday, December 7, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2111]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   COMMENDING THE SERVICE OF JAMES K. CONZELMAN TO THE U.S. HOUSE OF 
                            REPRESENTATIVES

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MICHAEL G. OXLEY

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 6, 2006

  Mr. OXLEY. Mr. Speaker, behind every successful Member of Congress is 
a good staff. When I was elected in 1981, I was told that my first and 
most important decision would be to find an outstanding Chief of Staff 
who could build a loyal and effective team.
  That first decision turned out to be my best. Jim Conzelman has been 
my only Chief of Staff during an amazing 25 years in the history of the 
House of Representatives and our Country. He is a trusted aide and 
personal friend who has played an integral role in our accomplishments 
on behalf of the Fourth District and the Nation as a whole.
  Jim came to me from that hotbed of political activism--Bozeman, 
Montana--with credentials from the Ford presidential campaign, the 
Select Committee on Assassinations, and a Member office. I was the 
newest recruit of a minority party near its low ebb in the House.
  But it was a good time to be young and a Republican because the 
Reagan Revolution had begun. As I cast votes to advance the President's 
agenda, Jim assembled a support team that allowed me to meet my twin 
objectives of becoming a respected legislator in Washington and a 
persuasive advocate for my constituents.
  The foundation that Jim built proved to be a lasting one during the 
quarter-century that followed. There have been memorable legislative 
battles, from telecommunications reform to financial services 
modernization to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. In 2001, we made the 
unprecedented move from the Commerce Committee to the newly created 
Financial Services Committee. As counselor to the chairman, Jim helped 
me organize a committee soon recognized for its productivity and 
responsiveness to all of its members.
  Jim inspires great loyalty by treating everyone he meets with 
respect. Considering the transient nature of most staff, the retention 
rate in my office is unheard of. My core staff when I announced my 
retirement had combined legislative experience of more than 250 years, 
a true tribute to Jim's management skills. Many other staffers have 
gone on to successful careers after getting their first ``break'' from 
Jim, who remembers the feeling of starting a career in a city where the 
U.S. Capitol exerts a magical influence.
  In a town where success often depends on the relationships you build, 
Jim has thrived professionally through the strength of his personal 
character. It is evident in both his work on the Hill and his 
volunteerism for charitable causes like the Multiple Sclerosis Society. 
I am reminded of the observation that Doris Kearns Goodwin made in Team 
of Rivals, her book about Lincoln, that ``the qualities we generally 
associate with decency and morality--kindness, sensitivity, compassion, 
honesty, and empathy--can also be impressive political resources.''
  Jim's ideals have remained the same since the day he arrived in 
Washington from Montana. He came for the same reason we all come--to 
serve the people and our Country. It is above all a privilege, but that 
should not prevent us from showing appreciation to those who have done 
the job well. With gratitude, ``Team Oxley'' salutes Jim Conzelman for 
his service.

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