[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 67 (Wednesday, April 25, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S5072]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       JACK HICKMAN'S RETIREMENT

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, prior to this job as Democratic leader, I 
basically lived on the floor for 6 years. I was here from the time the 
Senate came into session until we went out every day. During that 
period of time, I got to know staff up here very well because I 
basically lived with them.
  One of the people whom I certainly have gotten to know over that 
period of time is a man by the name of Jack Hickman. Since 1996, Jack 
has worked in the Senate Document Room, has been the executive 
communications clerk, and is now the morning business editor. When he 
is here, he sits at the table right in front of me.
  Jack is physically a giant of a man, very big. He has a wonderful 
sense of humor and is very easy to get along with. He loves his alma 
mater, the University of Wisconsin. One of his sad times was when UNLV 
beat them once, which was unexpected in a lot of quarters. He follows 
Wisconsin basketball and all of their sports teams very closely.
  Jack has two sons, Paul and Brian. His wife's name is Margaret, and 
he brags about her all the time.
  I want the Record to be spread with the fact that it has been an 
enjoyable experience for me to be able to work with someone of Jack's 
caliber, to be able to joke with him and make fun of each other in a 
respectful way on some of our idiosyncracies.
  Jack Hickman is going to retire. Tomorrow is his last day here. He 
and his wife had purchased a place in Florida some time ago. He has 
been going down there on vacation in our off times. Now he will live 
there full time.
  Jack does, as do all of the Senate personnel, invaluable work for us. 
He makes sure what we say goes in the right place in the Record. He 
works with the court reporters and the rest of the staff. His work, 
even though it is not very noteworthy to the public, is essential to 
the Senate functioning properly.
  I will really miss Jack a lot. He is someone with whom I have a real 
strong comfort level. I look forward, in the years to come, to being 
able to visit with him again and talk about some of the times we have 
had. We have spent many hours together on the Senate floor. During 
those years, I didn't control what we did; I was just here on the 
floor. We waited for long periods of time for the leader--whether it 
was a Democratic or Republican leader--to come and take us out at the 
end of the day. We complained to each other, saying, ``I wonder what 
they are doing.'' Well, since I got this job, I have a better picture 
of that. Even though it appears there is nothing going on out here, a 
lot of times, in the respective leaders' offices, a lot is going on.
  Mr. President, I speak about Jack, but in the process I speak of all 
these people who do so much for us and make us look good.
  I wish Jack good luck in his retirement.

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