[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 38 (Wednesday, March 4, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S2762]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING JASON MATTHEWS

  Ms. LANDRIEU. Madam President, I wish to pay tribute to a young man 
who worked for me for many years--actually, for 12 years. He has been a 
very vital part of the Landrieu staff. He is retired. He left our 
office after 12 years of wonderful service.
  Jason Matthews started out with me as an assistant in my first 
campaign for the Senate as literally a young kid right out of college. 
He worked his way up. He had no real political connections other than 
just a passion for the work, a heart for people, and a good mind. He 
came to Washington with me 12 years ago and started out, maybe even 
answering the phones some days, and worked his way up as military LA 
and then as legislative director and then general counsel and then left 
our office with the title chief of staff.
  Besides serving with such great humor and a great mind for policy 
and, as I said, a great heart for people, he served with great cheer 
through very difficult times that our office and many of my colleagues 
from Louisiana have been through considering the storms of the past 
recent years and the extra work our staffs have had to go through 
because of them. Jason led that effort with good humor. Because of him, 
many wonderful accomplishments in our office have been achieved. One I 
will mention, and I will share the rest for the record, is Louisiana's 
longstanding effort to achieve some balance and fairness in the 
distribution of oil and gas royalties and revenues which interior 
States have enjoyed since 1927 and coastal States have not because of 
the peculiarity in the law. Jason helped us fight a 10-year battle and 
finally was successful.
  The people of all of Louisiana will be grateful for many years for 
his service. He has led the people of Louisiana to great achievements. 
He has served the people of our country well. I wanted to pay tribute 
to him today and to wish him the best as he goes on to future endeavors 
here in the Washington, DC, area.

                          ____________________