[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 78 (Tuesday, May 13, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S4100]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO SANDER LURIE

  Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, today I pay tribute to a truly 
remarkable person. Sander Lurie came to my office as legislative 
director in 2001, and was an integral member of my staff for 7 years, 
including serving as my chief of staff.
  Sander was pivotal in getting my office up and running as I made the 
transition from the U.S. House of Representatives to the U.S. Senate in 
2001. I could not have asked for a better person to direct my 
legislative efforts; with his support I was able to hit the ground 
running and work for the great people of the State of Michigan from the 
very start.
  Prior to joining my staff in 2001, Sander spent 10 years working for 
the honorable Senator from the State of New Jersey, Mr. Frank 
Lautenberg, including serving as his chief of staff prior to Senator 
Lautenberg's retirement in 2000. When I asked Senator Lautenberg about 
Sander and his contributions to his office, Senator Lautenberg told me, 
``Sander was an integral part of my team for many years and played a 
large role in our successes during that time. He is a smart, natural 
leader with a real dedication to public service.'' I could not agree 
more. For the 7 years he spent on my staff no one was more tireless, 
more hardworking, or more dedicated to helping the citizens of Michigan 
and the citizens of the United States. He was a constant source of 
motivation and inspiration.
  Sander has always been the kind of person whose first priority is to 
improve the lives of those around him. This was clearly evident during 
his time in Senator Lautenberg's office. He was instrumental in 
assisting Senator Lautenberg's push for major reforms in tobacco and 
was very helpful to the state attorneys general who took on the tobacco 
industry. Sander played a key role in the Senator's successful battle 
to reduce drunken driving deaths by making the .08 blood alcohol level 
the law of the land. Amidst all this, Sander was able to work with 
Senator Lautenberg and help craft the historic 1997 Balanced Budget 
Agreement that helped to produce the budget surpluses of the late 
1990s.
  As he made his way to my office, Sander used his experience with the 
balanced budget agreement to become the go-to person on my staff 
regarding the budget, and all of us here in the Senate can attest to 
the complexity that comes along with it. Sander always prided himself 
in knowing the ins and outs of the budget process and he never ceased 
to amaze me with his ability to recall rules and regulations at will. 
His work and knowledge was a pivotal part of my ability to be a leader 
and contributor to the budget committee, and I cannot thank him enough.
  Sander was born in Warwick, RI, and raised for most of his early life 
in Milwaukee, WI. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University 
of Wisconsin-Madison, and following that he earned his master's degree 
in public administration from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public 
Affairs at the University of Texas-Austin. Sander's priority of working 
for the people in his community and his commitment to public service 
began at a young age before he ever made his way to Washington. He 
spent time working for both the Wisconsin State Assembly and the Texas 
Employment Commission, making sure to give back to the States that he 
called home. This selflessness followed him to Washington as he spent 
the last 17 years of his life serving the citizens of Michigan and New 
Jersey.
  Sander has now begun a new chapter in his life. And though everyone 
in my office and those that know him best were saddened to see him 
leave, we are all incredibly proud of the work he has done and are 
deeply grateful for the positive impact he has had on all of our lives.
  Today, Sander resides in Washington, DC, with his wonderful wife 
Dorian Friedman, and their beautiful daughter Mara. As Sander continues 
on in what will certainly be an illustrious career, I wish him well. He 
is sorely missed, but I, and everyone around him, know that the same 
selflessness that brought him to public service will follow him to 
whatever path he chooses, and he will undoubtedly continue to improve 
the lives of those around him. I am honored to have had Sander serve as 
my chief of staff, and I wish him only the best in the years ahead.

                          ____________________