[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 33 (Thursday, February 26, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S1155]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO TYLER STEPHENS

  Mr. BURR. Mr. President, I wish to pay special tribute to Tyler 
Stephens, a key member of my staff on the Select Committee on 
Intelligence. Tyler will leave us shortly to join the private sector. I 
am honored to have the opportunity to publicly thank Tyler and note my 
appreciation for his outstanding service to the United States Senate 
during the past 8 years, including his last 4 years of dedicated 
service to the Select Committee on Intelligence.
  Tyler is one of the brightest and most talented individuals on 
Capitol Hill. He is also among the best connected, a testament to the 
high regard in which he is held. Beginning as a staff assistant for 
Senator Johnny Isakson in January 2007, he learned the Senate from the 
ground up and quickly rose through the ranks to his current position as 
a senior policy advisor on the Intelligence Committee. Tyler spent most 
of his time in the Senate as a close personal adviser to Senator Saxby 
Chambliss, my dear friend and colleague, on both his personal staff and 
throughout Saxby's tenure as the vice chairman of the Intelligence 
Committee. Tyler worked hard to establish his expertise as a policy and 
appropriations advisor on foreign relations, defense, homeland 
security, commerce, transportation, energy, environmental, and 
technology issues. On the Intelligence Committee, he quickly became a 
respected subject matter expert on a wide range of national security 
issues, including counterterrorism, covert action, and cybersecurity. 
As impressive as Tyler's resume and experience are, it is his personal 
dedication and quick wit that often carry the day. In an environment 
filled with threat briefings, hostile nation states, and post-9/11 
conflict, it is often easy for some to dwell on the negative. Not 
Tyler--the consummate team player and totally mission-oriented--no 
challenge has been too great and no objective too small. His great 
sense of humor, contagious chuckles, and mischievous grin often 
lightened the mood and helped those around him perform better during 
stressful situations. With his boundless energy and enthusiasm, he made 
it all look easy.
  My colleagues and I trust Tyler's judgment implicitly. He has played 
a key role in helping committee members develop successful legislative 
strategies for resolving difficult national security issues. He was 
also particularly helpful to me during my transition as the chairman of 
the Select Committee on Intelligence at the beginning of this Congress. 
Tyler's dedicated public service and exceptional day-to-day performance 
on the job have earned our respect and admiration, and it inspired a 
generation of staff who had the privilege to work alongside him. There 
is no doubt that Tyler has a bright future in the private sector; 
however, should the right opportunity present itself, I would strongly 
encourage my Senate colleagues to entice him back into public service. 
We will miss Tyler deeply, but his legacy will remain a part of the 
Senate Select Committee on Intelligence for years to come.

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