[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 66 (Thursday, April 28, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E621-E622]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HONORING THE SERVICE OF DR. RUTH ELLEN WASEM ON HER RETIREMENT FROM THE 
                     CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ZOE LOFGREN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 28, 2016

  Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, Dr. Ruth Ellen Wasem, a Specialist in 
Immigration Policy, will be retiring from the Congressional Research 
Service (CRS) at the end of this month. Dr. Wasem came to CRS in 1987 
as an Analyst in Social Legislation, where she worked on teenage 
pregnancy, youth policy, homelessness, and immigration policy. She 
eventually moved full-time into immigration policy, where she became a 
recognized and leading expert in the field. Dr. Wasem is a graduate of 
the University of Michigan, where she received a Ph.D. and M.A. in 
History. She completed her undergraduate degree at Muskingum College in 
New Concord, Ohio where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. Dr. Wasem was 
raised in Cadiz, Ohio.
  Throughout her time at CRS, Dr. Wasem provided substantial 
legislative support to Members and Congressional staff who often turned 
to her for analysis, brainstorming, and consultation on various aspects 
of immigration and social welfare policy. Her work in these areas 
included assisting Congress with interpretations of current and 
proposed law, explaining agency operations, analyzing data, developing 
and analyzing legislative options, and comparing legislative proposals 
at various stages of the process. Dr. Wasem's work was used by Congress 
in hearings, legislative development, markups, and preconference 
negotiations.
  Dr. Wasem's extensive knowledge in immigration policy and her keen 
ability to frame and analyze issues of paramount concern to Congress 
often made her a prominent point of contact for Congressional staff. 
Her encyclopedic knowledge of immigration law and policy was on display 
during the past decade when Congress attempted to pass comprehensive 
immigration reform legislation. Dr. Wasem provided an innovative view 
of the major categories of immigration issues and the key elements 
involved in reforming the nation's immigration system.
  Dr. Wasem wrote numerous analytic and concise reports for Congress--
well over 300 during her tenure at CRS. Dr. Wasem also contributed to 
the House Ways and Means Committee's Green Book. Her contribution to 
the Green Book consisted of high-level statistical analysis on 
nonimmigrant eligibility for public benefits.
  Dr. Wasem was routinely chosen to moderate the immigration panels of 
CRS' biennial Legislative Issues and Procedures seminar for new Members 
in Williamsburg, Virginia. She also testified before Congressional 
committees numerous times throughout her tenure at CRS providing 
testimony on issues ranging from asylum to unauthorized migration to 
immigration and social policy data.
  One of Dr. Wasem's most important contributions to CRS' work for 
Congress has been her leadership of the analysts, lawyers and 
information professionals who support Congressional consideration of 
immigration-related policy issues. As CRS' Immigration Team Leader, Dr. 
Wasem has been a mentor to her team members, as well as to 
Congressional staff. She unfailingly displayed great generosity and 
selflessness in devoting her time and energy to the issues of the day.
  The Congressional Research Service has given Dr. Wasem a number of 
outstanding commendations and special achievement awards for 
legislative analysis in the areas of immigration policy, Haitian 
relief, health care reform, homeland security, temporary foreign 
workers, and welfare reform.
  Dr. Wasem recently spent a year as a Kluge Staff Fellow at the 
Library of Congress where

[[Page E622]]

she researched legislative efforts to end national origins and race-
based immigrant admissions to the United States, all of which 
culminated in the Immigration Act of 1965. During her time as a Kluge 
Fellow, Dr. Wasem was awarded the Abba P. Schwartz Research Fellowship, 
which is administered by the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, to 
further her research in this area.
  During her 29 years at CRS, and her 2 years of previous federal 
service, Dr. Wasem won the respect and admiration of her colleagues. 
Her steadfast dedication to serve Congress and her commitment to the 
highest standards of analytic, unbiased and timely response to 
Congressional requests for information and analysis have made a 
positive and lasting contribution to the Congressional policy 
discourse.

                          ____________________