[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 186 (Thursday, December 11, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S10931]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             THANKING STAFF

  Mr. DODD. Madam President, as Members are leaving, I would be remiss 
if I did not express my very deep and sincere gratitude to some 
remarkable people who, like all of us, have staff members who do 
incredible jobs who never get the recognition they deserve. They worked 
over these past 8 or 9 days literally until 2 and 3 and 4 in the 
morning--night after night after night--in an effort to put together a 
package here that would win the approval of our colleagues. These 
remarkable young men and women have just served our country.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Could people take their conversations outside 
the Chamber while the Senator from Connecticut thanks the staff.
  Mr. DODD. Madam President, I thank you.
  I want to begin by thanking the staff director of the Banking 
Committee, Shawn Maher. He is the father of a young 11-year-old boy, 
and I don't think he has probably seen Aidan much over the last number 
of months, let alone the last week or so, because he has dedicated 
himself to the work of this Chamber, this body. So I begin by thanking 
Shawn Maher.
  I also thank Aaron Klein, Amy Friend, Dean Shahinian, Neal Orringer, 
and Deborah Katz; from Senator Reid's staff, Mark Wetjen; from Senator 
Durbin's staff, Brad McConnell; from Legislative Counsel, Laura Ayoud, 
who does a remarkable job for all of us.
  There are many others, but these are the ones who principally did the 
work night after night, day after day, nonstop through the weekends, to 
try to package here a proposal that would win our support. And I 
apologize to them. We were not able to do it. I feel badly myself that 
maybe their Members did not probably work as hard as maybe we should 
have after all the effort they put in. But I want them to know, as we 
come into this holiday season, there are many people who in this 
country owe a great debt of gratitude to these people who worked so 
tirelessly on their behalf but never get the credit and the recognition 
they deserve.
  So this evening I thank them immensely for what they have done, and 
we will be back another day to fight again, and my hope is to make a 
difference for people in our country. But we all owe them a debt of 
gratitude, and I am particularly grateful to each and every one of 
them.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader is recognized.

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