[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 39 (Wednesday, March 7, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S2790]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING HERMAN JOSEPH GESSER III

  Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to a staff member 
who is, unfortunately, leaving to go back to Louisiana. I want to spend 
a few minutes talking about his wonderful service.
  Herman Joseph Gesser came to work in Washington for 1 year. He is an 
attorney and a very able architect and thought he would come and work 
here for the Louisiana delegation to contribute to our State and to 
learn the ways of Washington in public service. Ten years later, he is 
still here. We are sad to see him return to Louisiana, but family 
responsibilities and duties call him home.
  He has been projects director and general counsel of my office now 
for 9 years. He has served with diligence and dedication, honesty, 
integrity, and creativity. He is truly one of the most sought after and 
popular members of the Senate staff. He has worked on transportation 
projects. He has been an expert on Corps of Engineers projects, someone 
whom both Republican and Democratic staffers trust to give them just 
the facts, give it to them straight, and give it to them quickly.
  I laugh and say everybody in Louisiana needs a Bubba on their staff. 
I sure have had a very special Bubba on my staff for all these many 
years, as he is called and referred to kindly and in a very friendly 
way.
  Bubba has served the people of his home parish, New Iberia Parish, 
with distinction. He has done some extraordinary work, as I said, in 
the area of transportation. He is going to be missed.
  He really is a true example of selfless service. He could be, Mr. 
President--as you know, many of our staff could make a great deal more 
money, particularly in his case with the double degrees he has as a 
lawyer and an architect. But yet for 10 years, he has chosen to serve 
and stay through the challenges of Katrina and Rita where his talents 
and abilities were called on literally daily and was one of the go-to 
people I counted on to give me facts, to give them to me quickly so I 
could advocate more effectively on behalf of the 4.5 million people in 
Louisiana and the millions of people who live in the gulf coast area.
  I wanted to publicly recognize Herman Joseph Gesser, a citizen of 
Louisiana and a great servant to the people of our State in such a time 
of need.
  I know his father is very proud of him. I know his mother, who just 
passed away last year, still continues to give him blessings from 
Heaven, and that his extended family and many friends are very grateful 
to him for the support he has given to us all these many years.
  His homecoming in south Louisiana will be greeted with fanfare by his 
hometown, but it will be a great loss to the Landrieu staff in 
Washington, DC.

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