[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 124 (Thursday, September 19, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S6640]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO MARY DIETRICH

  Ms COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise today to commemorate the 
distinguished public service of my chief of staff, Mary Dietrich, who 
will be retiring from the Senate after more than 26 years of public 
service. Mary's departure is not only a great loss to my office but 
also a loss to this Chamber and the many Senators and Congressional 
staff with whom she has worked throughout her years of dedicated 
service.
  Mary is not someone who seeks the spotlight, but there is no question 
that she truly has made a difference. Day in and day out she has 
demonstrated her commitment to public service. Mary is always willing 
to accept a challenge head on: The greater the challenge that confronts 
her, the greater her tenacity and resolve become. In addition, her 
unparalleled understanding of the Senate is indicative of the deep 
appreciation and respect she has for this Chamber.
  Her skills and talents have benefitted many Mainers as well. Mary 
worked with me on my successful effort to allow the heaviest trucks to 
drive on Federal highways in Maine. Previously, the heaviest trucks in 
Maine were diverted onto secondary roadways that ran through our 
crowded downtowns, past schools and homes, and over busy narrow 
streets. Because of this change in the law, both drivers and 
pedestrians in Maine are safer.
  Mary also led my team to success in my efforts to require that all 
fresh fruits and vegetables, including fresh white potatoes, be allowed 
as part of the healthy lunches that are fed to our Nation's children in 
school cafeterias.
  Prior to joining my staff, Mary already had an exceptional career in 
public service. Upon graduation from Miami University in Oxford, OH, 
Mary went to work for the U.S. General Accounting Office. At GAO, Mary 
managed numerous and extensive reviews, investigations, and audits of a 
wide range of government programs. It was at GAO that Mary developed a 
fierce reputation for rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse. In fact, 
this is what brought her to the U.S. Senate. After 10 years at GAO, 
Mary was detailed to work for former Senator Richard Lugar on the 
Senate Agriculture Committee. Mary was so well respected in this 
position that by the end of her detail, she had two full committee 
chairmen asking her to join their staffs.
  In the end, Mary joined the staff of former Senator Ted Stevens on 
the Senate Appropriations Committee. While on the Appropriations 
Committee staff, Mary was known for her superior work and ability to 
handle complex and challenging matters. These talents enabled her to 
advance to very senior positions. In this role, she served as a liaison 
to a number of Senators past and present including Senators Arlen 
Specter, Mike DeWine, Sam Brownback, Thad Cochran, and myself. I was 
fortunate to have Mary serve as the minority clerk on the Financial 
Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee when I 
previously served as ranking member.
  Similar to her accomplishments while serving as my chief of staff, 
Mary's accomplishments on the Appropriations Committee are too numerous 
to list in their entirety. Among them, however, include her work to 
increase funding to improve education for District of Columbia public 
school students, and a doubling of funding over a 5-year period for the 
National Institutes of Health.
  Those who know Mary well know that one of her favorite actresses is 
Julie Andrews. Julie Andrews once said, ``Sometimes opportunities float 
right past your nose. Work hard, apply yourself and be ready. When an 
opportunity comes, you can grab it.'' When the chief of staff position 
became available in my office, asking Mary to lead my office was an 
obvious decision. There was no need for Mary to grab this opportunity. 
I could not think of a better person for the job. That was nearly 4 
years ago, and I could not have asked for a more-trusted advisor.
  Mary Dietrich has been the engine that keeps my staff moving. She has 
guided my staff with the same tact, wicked sense of humor, and sharp 
mind that defined all her years of public service. Her retirement from 
the Senate is a true loss, and she will be deeply missed.

                          ____________________