[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 82 (Thursday, May 29, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E872]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     THANKING MARA SACCENTE FOR HER MANY YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE

                                  _____
                                 

                          HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 29, 2014

  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today 
to join the many friends, family and colleagues who have gathered to 
extend my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Mara Saccente who served 
as a member of my District staff for 15 years. As a Caseworker and 
Scheduler, Mara dedicated an enormous amount of her personal time and 
energies to addressing the needs and concerns of the residents of 
Connecticut's 3rd Congressional District and I cannot thank her enough 
for all the outstanding work she has done.
  A native of Orange, Connecticut, during her senior year at the 
University of Connecticut, Mara spent the fall semester as an intern in 
my Washington, D.C. office. She was energetic and full of enthusiasm, 
assisting our press secretary and writing constituent correspondence. 
It was fortunate timing that upon her graduation, I had an opening for 
a caseworker in my District Office. Mara officially came on board on 
July 1, 1998. During the first three years of her tenure, she was 
responsible for a variety of casework areas including issues with 
Social Security, immigration, and the environment. Her compassion and 
understanding lent itself to the position and she thrived--the myriad 
of thank you notes she received is a testament to the difference she 
was able to make in the lives of others.
  As anyone in this Chamber can understand, the position of scheduling 
in a Congressional office requires a unique combination of patience and 
organization as well as the ability to manage the many personalities of 
constituents vying for your time. With a seemingly never ending list of 
events, invitations, and meetings coming in, in the twelve years that 
Mara served as my district scheduler, she managed to balance it all 
with both poise and integrity--earning a distinguished reputation among 
her colleagues and the many community members she interacted with every 
day.
  Though I can hardly figure out where she was able to find the time, 
Mara is also very involved with her community. A member of Or Shalom 
Synagogue, she served as Secretary of the Board of Directors, she has 
been a leader for her daughter's Girl Scouts troop, as well as an 
active member of the PTA and the local Democratic Town Committee. 
Mara's strong desire to give back to her community has made a real 
difference and serves as an example to us all of how one person's 
actions can enrich the lives of others.
  Mara has embarked on a new professional endeavor, however, she will 
always be more than just a staffer or a colleague--she is family. I, 
like all of those who have had the opportunity to work with her, will 
miss her. Today, I am honored to have this opportunity to extend my 
deepest thanks and sincere appreciation to Mara Saccente for all of her 
good work both on my behalf and that of the residents of the 3rd 
Congressional District. I wish her, her husband, Ken, and their 
children, Anna and Nathan, as well as her parents, Paul and Debbie 
Davis, the very best for many more years of health and happiness.

                          ____________________