[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 43 (Thursday, March 17, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E333]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           IN RECOGNITION OF THE RETIREMENT OF THOMAS S. KAHN

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 17, 2016

  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Thomas S. Kahn, a long-
tenured staffer who is retiring from federal service after 32 years of 
dedicated, trusted work for the House of Representatives. He has spent 
the last 19 of those years as the Staff Director for the House Budget 
Committee Democratic staff, and Democrats here in the House have come 
to rely on Tom's work on the ins and outs of federal budgeting. We will 
miss his experience and insight, along with his good humor and 
friendship.
  Tom is a loyal Boston Red Sox fan from Massachusetts but started and 
ended his career on Capitol Hill with Members from the Maryland 
delegation. Tom came to Capitol Hill as legislative assistant to then-
Representative Barbara Mikulski. After time out to earn his law degree 
from Georgetown University and a brief foray into the private sector, 
Tom returned to Congress to begin his long service to Representative 
John Spratt as legislative counsel. Tom served Mr. Spratt throughout 
the remainder of Mr. Spratt's tenure in Congress, working on both the 
Government Operations Committee and then later becoming Staff Director 
and Chief Counsel for the House Budget Committee in 1997. I was pleased 
when he agreed to stay on as Staff Director when I joined the Budget 
Committee as Ranking Member.
  This year marks Tom's 19th year of service to the Committee as Staff 
Director, and during that time he has been instrumental in advancing 
major legislation, including the 1997 budget agreement with President 
Clinton that led to the first budget surplus in 30 years. He also 
played a pivotal role in crafting the 2010 budget resolution which 
paved the way for passage of the Affordable Care Act.
  Those of us who have had the pleasure of knowing Tom inevitably also 
know about the lights of his life: his sons, Benjamin and Daniel--
regularly displayed in photos on Tom's tie--and his accomplished wife, 
Susana Sanchez. If Tom isn't talking about the budget, he's likely 
conversing about his family.
  While Tom is retiring from federal service, he will maintain his 
dedication to public service in his new role leading government affairs 
for the American Federation of Government Employees. I thank Tom for 
his service to our nation and the difference he will continue to make 
in fighting for federal employees.

                          ____________________