[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 163 (Thursday, October 27, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1951-E1952]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING JULIE WATKINS FOR TWENTY-THREE YEARS OF PUBLIC SERVICE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. NICK J. RAHALL II

                            of west virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 27, 2011

  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, it is always hard to say goodbye to a valued 
staff person, but today is especially difficult in wishing Julie 
Watkins a fond farewell as she begins her retirement.
  Julie has served the people of West Virginia as a staff member in the 
U.S. Congress since 1989, almost 23 years.
  Julie began her Congressional tenure working in the mailroom for West 
Virginia's beloved Senator Robert C. Byrd. She later moved to Senator 
Byrd's front office, where she was a Staff Assistant who proved her 
commitment daily to her job. Rising at 3:15 a.m., each morning, in 
order to drive from rural Virginia to be in the office by 5 a.m., Julie 
impressed Senator Byrd and everybody on staff with her diligence and 
hard work.
  Julie later was promoted to Front Office Manager and then Office 
Manager, training every new Staff Assistant who came to work in Senator 
Byrd's front office, forty-eight in total, while she was in that 
position. After fifteen years, in 2005, she left the front office to 
try her hand at casework. Senator Byrd, who thought so very highly of 
Julie, was deeply reluctant to let her go--refusing to accept for the 
longest time that Julie was no longer looking after his front office--a 
position upon which he placed tremendous value. She had been, for so 
long, his warm, welcoming, efficient representative to so many West 
Virginians whenever they called for help or came to visit Capitol Hill.
  When Senator Byrd passed away last year, I was fortunate that Julie 
agreed to come to work on the House Natural Resources Committee, on 
which I was Chairman. She worked in my Committee office, and later 
graciously moved to my personal office, once again resuming the vital 
duties of the front desk.
  I cannot help but feel a little boastful in saying that I succeeded 
where Senator Byrd did not in convincing Julie to move back into the 
front office. I know, however, that Senator Byrd would be so proud to 
know that all of Julie's skill and experience were still being 
employed, at least for a little while longer, in serving the people of 
West Virginia.
  Julie is one of those prized Congressional staffers who master their 
job. Many times they are not high profile positions, but they are 
essential to a smooth running office and to ensuring that our 
constituents are well and effectively served. Julie knows what so many 
of us forget or fail to understand: filling the copy

[[Page E1952]]

paper each morning, checking the fax machine so it works properly, 
knowing the right contacts in the Superintendent's office when 
something needs fixing--these sometimes seemingly little things are of 
big importance. Julie had a keen eye for catching those little things 
and always looked after them to ensure that everyone else could do 
their job better. She is ever dependable, ever reliable. When Julie 
gets an assignment, you know it will get done and get done right.
  I know I speak on behalf of the entire Rahall staff, as well as the 
staffs of the Natural Resources and Transportation and Infrastructure 
Committees who have had the pleasure of working with her, when I say 
that Julie will be deeply missed. We wish her a most enjoyable 
retirement. We won't ever forget her and neither will scores of 
citizens who have benefited from her service to the Nation.

                          ____________________