[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 116 (Friday, July 29, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5066-S5067]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO DAVE JOHNSON

  Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I rise today, with several of my colleagues 
to recognize the outstanding service and contribution of a fellow 
Hoosier and life-long public servant, Dave Johnson.
  Dave first joined my staff in 1987 and he has been a brilliant 
resource to me over the years since then. Dave is a truly gifted 
individual. He is knowledgeable about all facets of agricultural and 
food policy and is able to see all of the potential opportunities and 
challenges with proposed legislation. Dave is always prepared to 
interact with a Member on the Senate floor during consideration of 
agriculture legislation, and equally at ease in dealing with Indiana 
constituents or farmers from anywhere in the United States. His mark 
can be found on countless pieces of Senate food and agriculture 
legislation, ranging from nutrition to biomass to conservation. Dave is 
always an available and willing resource to members on the Agriculture 
Committee, or other members from the Senate as a whole who seldom delve 
into agricultural policy discussions.
  Dave and I have shared one true passion over our years of service--
nutrition. I have long been an advocate of nutrition programs, and 
specifically a supporter of the school lunch program. It has been 
Dave's dedicated counsel and advice that has helped to shape these 
important programs into what they are today. I remember that on one 
occasion, while traveling back home in southern Indiana, I learned from 
my constituents of some of the deficiencies in a local summer 
children's nutrition program. I shared these concerns with Dave, and 
within a matter of days Dave responded to my request and had a bill on 
my desk. That legislation proposed a pilot project, which was approved 
by Congress, and today has been expanded to a nationwide program.
  Dave has never been intimidated by the vastness of diversity in 
agriculture. He has always been able to determine the appropriate 
solution to a real problem, and then draft the implementing legislation 
to go along with it. He is never too busy to take the time to mentor 
young staff members by sharing his vast knowledge and experience, and 
he is always willing to reach across the aisle to contribute to more 
effective results for American agriculture.
  Dave, I don't know how we will write a farm bill without you. You 
will be sincerely missed.
  Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I am pleased to commend Dave Johnson for 
23 years of service to the Federal Government. I am very grateful for 
his effective and dedicated leadership as chief counsel of the Senate 
Agriculture Committee during the time I served as chairman of the 
Committee.
  He also served in important jobs at the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, as well as 
the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. The farm 
bills that Mr. Johnson helped draft during his career are impressive 
examples of his insight and good judgment.
  The far-reaching effects of his contributions to the field of 
agriculture are illustrated by the successes we have had as a Nation as 
a result of our food and agriculture policies. I congratulate Dave 
Johnson for his impressive career of improving the quality of life of 
rural America.
  Mr. CHAMBLISS. I want to take this opportunity to congratulate Dave 
on his 23 years of service as a public servant. His career, including 
service in the Senate, the Department of Agriculture and the 
Commodities Futures Trading Commission, has led him to be one of the 
most influential staffers on legislation supporting farmers, ranchers 
and the less privileged across the country.
  For those of us who have had the pleasure of knowing and working 
closely with him, we know Dave as a true professional and an extremely 
thoughtful individual. His knowledge and experience have served as a 
virtual encyclopedia for policy makers on this Committee and in the 
Executive Branch. The talent and knowledge that Dave possesses reflects 
a career of dedicated service that cannot be replicated or easily 
replaced. His well-earned departure will create a void that will be 
difficult to fill.
  As I look back at Dave's career and the years I served as chairman of 
the Senate Agriculture Committee, I can say I am particularly proud of 
Dave's work on nutrition and food assistance programs. I know my 
colleagues and I can attest to Dave's care for and dedication to 
improving the lives of the less privileged. His tireless efforts to 
secure funding for the hungry and less privileged through the 1996 farm 
bill, the 1994 Child Nutrition Act and countless other pieces of 
legislation are a testament to his sense of duty and his nonpartisan 
approach to identifying solutions that advance the promise of our great 
Nation to all of our citizens. I was always honored to have his passion 
and advocacy for the disadvantaged on my side of the aisle.
  Dave has made a real impact on the lives of all Americans and has 
done so with a modest approach that sought solutions over recognition. 
Dave is one of the most modest individuals I have ever met and I am 
certain his modesty is born of his upbringing. Dave's approach to work 
in Washington, DC, has always been governed by the lessons he learned 
on his family farm in rural Indiana. He does not boast of his many 
achievements nor lecture those who seek his counsel or advice. I have 
always known him to be quiet and unpretentious in spite of his 
achievements and station. He has sought to act as a mentor to young 
staffers and wise counsel to the Senators and policy makers who have 
called on him throughout the years.
  On behalf of my former agriculture committee staff and for myself, I 
want to thank Dave for his service to the U.S. Senate and to our 
country. I wish him the best as he moves on to his next adventure.
  Mr. JOHANNS. Mr. President, I rise today to echo my colleagues in 
recognizing Dave Johnson for his commitment to public service. Having 
spent 23 years working on agriculture and food policy for the Federal 
Government, Dave has demonstrated a rare dedication to an industry that 
provides food, feed, fiber and fuel to people all around the globe.
  While serving as Secretary of Agriculture, I had the privilege of 
working closely with Dave, who was Deputy Chief of Staff at the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture. I fondly remember the many hours Dave spent 
putting pen to paper and drawing together our ideas into legislative 
language for Congress to consider as part of the 2007-2008 farm bill 
process. His knowledge of agriculture policy and his work ethic were 
invaluable to our efforts. The many hours we spent working on farm 
policy led to a friendship that I continue to appreciate.
  Twenty-three years is a long time to spend as a public servant and 
Dave has earned our sincerest gratitude for his years of service to 
farmers, ranchers, conservationists, nutrition advocates, rural 
Americans and all those affected by USDA policies, who have directly or 
indirectly benefitted from his work.
  I wish Dave the very best as he opens a new chapter in his life. I am 
confident that with his positive attitude, principled approach and 
genuinely kind heart, success will follow him down whatever path he 
chooses.
  Mr. ROBERTS. I would like to take a few moments this morning to 
wander from regular order to recognize a long-

[[Page S5067]]

time staffer and public servant who will be retiring next Friday.
  August 5 will be Dave Johnson's last day as a Republican staffer on 
the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. It will 
also be the end of a 23-year career in public service--most of that 
right here on this committee.
  Dave has served me as ranking member since March. He previously 
served as both the chief Republican counsel and deputy staff director 
of this committee. His service includes working for Chairman Lugar from 
1987 to 1991 and again from 1994 to 2003. He then served Chairman 
Cochran from 2003 to 2005 and Chairman Chambliss from 2005 to 2007. And 
from 2007 to 2008 he served then-Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns 
as a deputy chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He 
then moved to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission where he served 
until we convinced him to come back and help us get up and running this 
past spring.
  Dave's record speaks for itself. But I am not sure some understand 
just how valuable his service has been to this Committee and 
agriculture and nutrition policy.
  As those who know Dave can tell you, his first love has been 
nutrition policy. He has worked on numerous child nutrition bills and 
the nutrition title of no less than four farm bills, by my count. I 
also know that if you sit down and visit with him, he'd probably tell 
you that one of his proudest moments was the work he did on the 1996 
Welfare Reform Act.
  Dave has always been a straight shooter. He gives you the answers you 
need to hear. But one of his greatest strengths is reminding you of the 
things you haven't considered and need to think about. He has been a 
tremendous mentor to young staff on both sides of the aisle and he was 
often the first stop many of them made when looking for advice on how 
to learn the ropes of the committee.
  Finally, Dave's attention to detail and proofing proposed legislation 
is legendary. If you are scrubbing a bill and making sure it is done 
right, his is the set of eyes you want on it. A member of my staff was 
once told by a former member of the Senate Parliamentarian's office 
that a farm bill Dave had helped write and scrub was ``among the best 
written bills we've ever seen come through the Senate.''
  That pretty much sums up Dave's service to this committee. Dave, as a 
former bucket-toter myself, thank you for your years of service to our 
country, the Senate, the members of this Committee and our 
constituents. You have been a true public servant and we all wish you 
only the best as you head home to Indiana.
  Job well done.

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