[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 32 (Wednesday, February 26, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Page S1170]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO KATHLEEN RICE

  Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, I wish to pay special tribute to 
Kathleen B. Rice, a key member of my staff on the Select Committee on 
Intelligence. Kathleen will leave us shortly to join Boveri Murphy 
Rice, LLP, a boutique trial and litigation firm in South Bend, IN, 
which represents clients nationwide, ranging from Fortune 500 companies 
to smaller businesses and individuals. Kathleen has had a distinguished 
career in her 19.5 years of service to the Senate, Federal Bureau of 
Investigation, Department of Justice, and the U.S. District Court for 
the Southern District of Florida. I am honored to have the opportunity 
to publicly thank her and note my appreciation for her outstanding 
service to the Select Committee on Intelligence during the past 7.5 
years.
  Since becoming the vice chairman of the committee in 2011, I have 
routinely relied upon her impressive legal acumen and excellent advice 
on matters large and small. Kathleen is well known on the Hill and by 
the private sector as one of the leading congressional staff experts on 
cybersecurity legislative issues. During the 111th Congress, she 
distinguished herself as an authority in the field with her work on S. 
3538, the National Cyber Infrastructure Protection bill, on behalf of 
Senators Kit Bond and Orrin Hatch. Based upon that experience, I 
selected Kathleen to serve as the lead counsel for all of my 
cybersecurity legislative efforts. Since then, she has worked 
tirelessly to develop and negotiate legislative proposals consistent 
with my strong desire to get an effective cybersecurity information 
sharing bill enacted into law. During the last Congress, Kathleen was a 
crucial participant in the negotiations that led the ranking members of 
eight Senate committees to co-sponsor S. 2151 and S. 3342, the 
Strengthening and Enhancing Cybersecurity by Using Research, Education, 
Information, and Technology Act of 2012, more commonly known as 
``SECURE IT.'' During this Congress, Senator Feinstein and I have been 
working very hard to develop a bipartisan cybersecurity information 
sharing bill that we believe will be well-received by the private 
sector and our colleagues in the Senate and the House of 
Representatives. We are finally quite close to being able to mark up 
our cybersecurity information sharing bill and Kathleen played an 
integral role every step of the way.
  Kathleen is a recognized legislative wizard. When negotiations have 
stalled, it is usually Kathleen who comes up with the textual solution 
that provides the basis for a practical and effective bipartisan 
compromise--a valuable skill that unfortunately has been in short 
supply on the Hill in recent memory. In addition to cyber, she has been 
a key staff contributor to the process of passing and enacting the 
committee's annual intelligence authorization bills. Her expertise on 
the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) was invaluable during 
the negotiation and enactment of the Protect America Act of 2007, the 
FISA Amendments Act of 2008, Public Laws 111-141 and 112-14, extension 
of certain expiring FISA sunsets, and the FISA Amendments Act 
Reauthorization Act of 2012. She routinely monitors the legislative 
calendar to ensure that pending legislation does not negatively impact 
intelligence community activities and operations. She also works 
closely with the Members and staff of other committees on all issues 
related to national security.
  Kathleen's mastery of criminal and national security law, coupled 
with her inexhaustible work ethic and sound judgment, have made her an 
indispensable member of the committee staff and an invaluable resource 
to other congressional committees. Her quick wit and good humor make 
her a pleasure to work with--less so, if you unwisely choose to work 
against the interests of her ``client''. Kathleen is a team player who 
makes everyone around her perform better. She has been an astute mentor 
and guide to the senior staff responsible for assisting the vice 
chairman and members of the committee with formulating and implementing 
the committee's legislative and oversight priorities. She also has done 
a terrific job interfacing and collaborating with my personal staff to 
ensure that my office is accurately transmitting my views on current 
national security issues and events.
  My colleagues and I trust Kathleen's judgment implicitly. Her example 
of dedicated public service and exceptional day-to-day performance on 
the job has earned our respect and admiration, and it inspired a 
generation of staff who had the privilege to work alongside her. There 
is no doubt that Kathleen has a bright future in the private sector; 
however, should the right opportunity present itself, I would strongly 
encourage my Senate colleagues to entice her back into public service. 
We will miss Kathleen dearly, but her legacy will remain a part of the 
Senate Select Committee on Intelligence for years to come.

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