[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 130 (Friday, August 1, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1699]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO RACHEL JAGODA BRUNETTE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BART GORDON

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, August 1, 2008

  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a 
talented individual who has been a dedicated member of our committee 
staff--Rachel Jagoda Brunette.
  Rachel came to the committee at the beginning of the 109th Congress 
as a staff assistant for the Republican majority. Her talent was 
quickly recognized, and she was soon promoted to professional staff for 
the research subcommittee. As a staffer for that subcommittee, she 
handled math and science education issues.
  At the start of this Congress, the committee offered positions to 
several staffers of former Chairman Boehlert and we were fortunate that 
Rachel accepted our offer. She moved to the Subcommittee on Technology 
and Innovation and deftly transitioned to a broad portfolio of 
technology issues, from Homeland Security science and technology to 
surface transportation research and development.
  Her bachelor's degree in physics from Georgetown University and a 
master's in political management from the George Washington University 
were an excellent foundation for navigating the nexus between science 
and policy. Rachel also came to the committee with experience in this 
area, having worked at the Federation of American Scientists, the 
American Society for Engineering Education, and the American National 
Standards Institute.
  With intellectual curiosity and an appreciation for scientific 
knowledge, Rachel spent countless hours absorbing technical details and 
navigating the political and bureaucratic contexts of her issues. 
Rachel recognizes how science and technology can help communities meet 
their needs on the ground.
  Rachel performed valuable legislative and oversight duties for the 
committee. These legislative efforts included H.R. 5161, the Green 
Transportation Infrastructure Research and Technology Transfer Act and 
H.R. 3877, the Mine Communications Technology Innovation Act. Her 
oversight contributions included border security technologies and 
research and development for energy savings in transportation systems.
  Rachel has spent over 3 years working on the Hill and over 9 years in 
Washington. She is heading to Portland, and our loss is Oregon's gain. 
She has been a wonderful asset to this committee and will be missed by 
both Members and staff. I want to thank her for her service to the 
committee and the science community at large, and I wish her--and her 
growing family--all the best.

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