[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 178 (Monday, December 16, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8831-S8832]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO LAURA HERZOG

  Mr. CORKER. Mr. President, I rise today to speak about an outstanding 
member of our staff, a friend, and a very special person who will soon 
leave the Senate--after almost 11 years of service--with her family to 
go to Nashville to begin the next exciting phase of their lives.
  I first met Laura Lefler when she was a staffer working in Senator 
Lamar Alexander's front office answering the phones and greeting 
visitors. I was in Washington to try to decide, like the Presiding 
Officer, whether running for the U.S. Senate was something I should 
consider. Seeing her smiling face and listening to her Tennessee accent 
certainly made me feel at home.
  Later, after I decided to run, we became involved in one of the most 
difficult races in the country in 2006. I was the only new Republican 
to make it through. Toward the end, with the race nationalized and 
dealing with all kinds of issues, a whole crew of folks descended upon 
our office to help us get across the top. One of those was young Laura 
Lefler, who helped us in our communications office. I think she was 
surprised by the fierceness of a campaign such as this. She took it all 
very personally--a sign of someone you want to be at your side.
  Then came the transition. Laura was the first person to open our 
office, and she helped us interview people and find our way through the 
daunting task of opening a new Senate office. When it came down to 
deciding who would lead our communications office, we had gotten down 
to people who had been here and done it for a long time and Ms. Laura 
Lefler. She always said I was concerned about whether she should really 
be the person, and, in fairness, now that she is leaving, I will say I 
was. She was young. She had never done this before. Certainly I had 
never done this before. And I wondered whether we needed someone who 
was more seasoned and had different experiences. Without question, 
hiring Laura to lead our communications office is one of the best 
decisions I have ever made in my life. I cannot imagine the last 7 
years without Laura in our office, and I know the rest of our staff 
feels the same way.
  Laura has been instrumental to our office in every way. No doubt, she 
has done an outstanding job as a communications director. I think every 
person in our office, those in other offices, and the media people 
throughout the Capitol and throughout Tennessee would all speak to the 
fact that she has been a professional, she has been endearing and a 
responsible communications director.
  She has also been instrumental in other ways, such as always ensuring 
that I have never forgotten where I came from. She has that knack when 
we are making a decision over a tough vote to slip in toward the end 
and sit down privately and express her own feelings--something I value 
greatly.
  As time went on, I realized something was different about other 
Senate offices. Most Senate offices center around the U.S. Senator. Our 
office has never been that way; it has always revolved around Laura.
  It began with this guy named John Herzog, whom she later married. Was 
he going to end up having the kind of job that would allow him to know 
he could support a family? And then when he did, was he going to ask 
her to marry him? This went on for months and months.
  Then there was the wedding after he asked. I do not think I have ever 
seen so many photographs of dresses and flower arrangements, nor have 
others in our office.
  Then came the decision about their home purchase. Where would it be? 
What would it look like? How far of a drive would it be? You know the 
drill.
  Then came young Jack. His hair was so perfect when he was born, he 
instantly was dubbed ``the Weatherman.'' Then, of course, which daycare 
would he attend? Would it be close enough? Would she continue to be a 
communications director and a good mom? As we all knew would be the 
case, she has been exceptional at both.
  Then more of the same in Tennessee. I remember a townhall meeting in 
Loudon, TN, where over 1,000 people showed up at the gymnasium--a place 
where Laura Lefler had been the valedictorian. I remember walking in 
with such excitement that so many people would be there at this 
townhall meeting to hear me discuss the big issues facing our Nation, 
but, not surprisingly, the first thing that was said

[[Page S8832]]

when I walked in the door was, ``Where's Laura?''
  Now, as we all knew would happen at some point, it is time for them 
to move on to the next phase in their lives. While we have all been a 
part of her life and lived the ups and downs, she has been a part of 
all of ours. We will miss her greatly. She knows full well that I would 
gladly continue to be second fiddle in our office if she would stay. 
But we all know it is time for her and John, with their wonderful son 
Jack and possibly others to come, to go back to Tennessee, time to go 
back and be a part of other people's lives the way they have been a 
part of ours.
  She has made life better for all of us over the last 7 years. Her big 
smile and ability to take ribbing--and also dish it out--have made each 
day so much more enjoyable. She is a consummate professional, always 
seeking perfection but with the ability to make it fun along the way. 
We will miss her, but we are so happy for her, for John, and for Jack. 
We are happy for her mother, who lives just across the line in 
Kentucky, and her dad, who lives right up the road in Loudon. We know 
Nashville will be a much better place with the Herzogs there. We look 
forward to visiting them often, and we all hope they will continue to 
involve us all in their wonderful life, their story, and the evolution 
of the Herzog family in Tennessee.
  With that, I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Maryland.
  Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I rise to speak in morning business for 
approximately 10 minutes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator is recognized.

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