[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 81 (Monday, June 10, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S4055]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  TRIBUTE TO COMMANDER GEORGE KOVATCH

  Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, the Homeland Security Appropriations 
Subcommittee will soon bid farewell to our congressional fellow, Coast 
Guard CDR. George Kovatch, who has served the Committee on 
Appropriations over the past 3 years. Unfortunately, Commander Kovatch 
is retiring, so not only is his departure a loss for the Committee on 
Appropriations, but it is also a loss for the Coast Guard.
  Commander Kovatch has been detailed to the committee from the U.S. 
Coast Guard since 2010 and is a key member of our professional staff. 
Commander Kovatch performed admirably in his role on the Homeland 
Security Appropriations Subcommittee. He did everything we asked of 
him, with pinpoint accuracy, and always beat the deadlines given to 
him. I would also add that he served the committee during interesting 
times, perhaps more interesting than he imagined when he accepted the 
job. He was here for the Deepwater Horizon oilspill, the Times Square 
bombing attempt, the air cargo printer scare, Hurricanes Isaac and 
Sandy, and the Boston marathon bombing.
  The Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee has greatly 
benefited from the experience Commander Kovatch gained as a Coast Guard 
officer, in particular his insights into the operations of a complex 
military organization that is combined with a large domestic agency. He 
has superb analytical skills that have been critical in our review of a 
$39 billion budget request and in developing complex spreadsheets that 
synthesize funding issues into easily understood documents we have used 
in hearings, closed briefings, in full committee, and on the floor. He 
made critical recommendations that were adopted to improve key 
components within the Department of Homeland Security, most notably 
carefully overseeing integrity efforts following the rapid hiring of 
agents and officers at Customs and Border Protection as well as 
Immigration and Customs Enforcement to ensure that all agents, but 
especially new hires, receive comprehensive training in ethics and 
public integrity. His unqualified professionalism, perception, superb 
analytic focus and technical skills, combined with a keen sense of 
humor, a cool head, and a modesty rarely seen on Capitol Hill, have 
helped keep the momentum for these bills moving forward. His high 
standards of professionalism and thoroughness are beyond reproach, and 
his contributions have been highly valued.
  Through all of this, George maintained the decorum and 
professionalism that we have all come to expect from our military 
officer corps, and he has represented the Coast Guard with the highest 
integrity and competence. Commander Kovatch has served me, this 
subcommittee, and the Senate well. We are sorry to see him leave and 
will miss him as our colleague but are glad to count him as a friend. 
Each of us on the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee wish 
George all the best as he moves forward in the next phase of his 
career, where we anticipate seeing great things of him in the coming 
years.

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