[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 51 (Wednesday, March 28, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E467]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          IN RECOGNITION OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE OF GERRY CASHIN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SPENCER BACHUS

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 28, 2012

  Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, in any successful office, there is always 
one person you need to be able to trust to make sure that things are 
done in the right way and on time. From the beginning of my service in 
Congress, that person in my office was my executive assistant, 
Geraldine ``Gerry'' Cashin. On the occasion of her retirement, I want 
to offer my personal thanks to Gerry for the dedicated and loyal 
service that she has given to me, the people of Alabama, and the 
citizens of our nation. Gerry was first with me in my law practice in 
Alabama and when I was elected to the House, I knew that I wanted her 
to come to Washington to help me with the challenge of setting up a new 
congressional office. Her organizational skills and personal concern 
for constituents helped our office to quickly establish a reputation 
for service and responsiveness. Gerry set a high standard with her 
dedication to her work and her attention to detail, and many of my 
staffers who have gone on to success in future endeavors have given 
credit to the lessons they learned from Gerry. Almost every day, the 
seemingly ``impossible'' was asked of Gerry and she unfailingly 
delivered, perfecting along the way such wry and legendary office 
phrases as ``I'm sorry that happened'' and ``Never give a man something 
you haven't made a copy of.'' During the great challenges in Congress 
during recent years--from 9/11 to the financial crisis--Gerry stood as 
a rock of stability and a voice of calm and continuity. She has friends 
all over Capitol Hill and in Birmingham, and my wife Linda and I 
consider her to be part of our family for her many years of loyal 
service and heartfelt friendship. While the institutional knowledge 
that Gerry acquired cannot be replaced, my office's loss is the gain of 
her daughters Amanda and Diane and her grandsons John and Tom, with 
whom she will happily be spending much more time, and perhaps a gain 
for her tennis game as well. It is a pleasure for me to extend this 
public and well-deserved tribute to a servant of the people and a very 
dear friend, Gerry Cashin.

                          ____________________