[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 148 (Thursday, September 29, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1418-E1419]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  COMMITTEE DEPATURE OF CAROLINE LYNCH

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BOB GOODLATTE

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 28, 2016

  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of Ranking Member John Conyers 
and myself, I rise in recognition of the Chief Counsel of the 
Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Investigations, 
Caroline Lynch, to bid her farewell as she leaves the House Judiciary 
Committee.
  Effective House staff is indispensable. And such a description is 
certainly fitting for Caroline. Every action she takes as Chief Counsel 
proves her unwavering commitment to conservative principles and to the 
rule of law.
  But after 15 years working on Capitol Hill, Caroline has decided to 
move back to her home state of Arizona to be close to her family, and 
to pursue the next steps in her career. Needless to say, we are very 
sad to see her go.
  After graduating from law school at Arizona State University, 
Caroline came to Washington, D.C., to work for Congressman John Shadegg 
from Arizona. She served both in his personal office and for him as 
Chief Counsel of the House Republican Policy Committee.
  In 2006 Caroline began as a Counsel on the Judiciary Committee's 
Crime Subcommittee, and it was quickly apparent that she had found her 
calling.
  In 2008 Caroline became Chief Counsel of the Subcommittee. At the 
Committee, Caroline has had an enormous impact on the reform of our 
criminal and national security laws. In fact, few people in Washington 
have done as much to promote the safety of our communities.
  Caroline has overseen the drafting, negotiation, and passage of 
critical legislation regarding the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance 
Act, the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, and the most sweeping 
set of reforms to government surveillance practices in nearly 40 
years--the USA Freedom Act, among many other priority legislative 
initiatives.
  Aside from that, she manages a Subcommittee staff that works on some 
of the most important topics in the country--from oversight of many of 
the federal law enforcement agencies, to issues such as criminal 
justice reform, child exploitation, cybersecurity, human trafficking 
and encryption.
  Anyone who has met Caroline knows she is an immensely intelligent, 
hardworking, loyal and discerning Chief Counsel. And of course, those 
people she has negotiated with have found her to be a skillful and 
formidable but fair advocate.
  Evidence of her dedication and influence as Chief Counsel can be seen 
by what some of her colleagues and former bosses have to say about her.
  Former Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith says, ``Caroline is a 
good person and a very knowledgeable attorney. As chief counsel of the 
Crime Subcommittee, she has been a dedicated, conscientious, and hard-
working public servant. She has had a major influence on crime 
legislation and on keeping Americans safe and secure. Her wonderful 
attitude, legal expertise, and commitment to good government will be 
missed greatly.''
  Judiciary Committee Chief of Staff and General Counsel Shelley 
Husband says, ``When I

[[Page E1419]]

first met Caroline, I was immediately struck by her intelligence, 
unparalleled grasp of criminal law, leadership ability and confidence, 
all attributes that I admire. Since that time, I have come to know 
Caroline's other virtues. In addition to being a brilliant lawyer, 
Caroline is immensely loyal, compassionate, honest and fair. And for 
that, she has earned my respect and affection. I am grateful every day 
that we are on the same side and if I'm going to be in the trenches on 
any issue, I want Caroline Lynch beside me.''
  And Deputy Chief of Staff and Chief Counsel Branden Ritchie says, 
``Caroline's expertise in criminal and national security laws and her 
ability to achieve legislative victories are apparent to all who work 
with her. She is also--without question--a natural leader. But what I 
have come to admire and respect most about Caroline is that she truly 
cares for and nurtures those she leads, she is loyal to those she 
serves, and she is a truth teller who is dedicated to doing what is 
right.''
  Former Judiciary Committee Staff Director Joseph Gibson says, 
``Caroline is an outstanding lawyer who knows her stuff and works 
tirelessly to get the policy right. She will be greatly missed.''
  And another Former Judiciary Committee Staff Director Richard 
Hertling says, ``Few staffers are indispensable and irreplaceable, but 
Caroline comes as close as any I know. She reflects the very best among 
us. She knows both the law and the facts, and she takes the time to 
understand the real-world effects of everything she does. The country 
is better off for her service.''
  George Fishman, Chief Counsel of the Subcommittee on Immigration and 
Border Security, says ``Caroline cares so much about the job she is 
doing--keeping the American people safe and preserving our 
Constitutional liberties. Through her tireless work, Caroline's imprint 
is all over our nation's criminal statutes. She is the quintessential 
congressional staffer--dedicated, caring, knowledgeable, a fierce 
advocate for her Member or Committee and yet respected by all.''
  And Paul Taylor, Chief Counsel of the Subcommittee on Constitution 
and Civil Justice says, ``Caroline is so dynamic, I've often thought 
there was both a Crime Subcommittee and a Caroline Subcommittee.''
  Daniel Flores, Chief Counsel of the Regulatory Reform, Commercial and 
Antitrust Law Subcommittee says, ``Caroline created a brighter world 
for all of her colleagues on Committee, and a safer world for all 
Americans.''
  And Joe Keeley, Chief Counsel of the Subcommittee on Courts 
Intellectual Property and the Internet, says ``The Judiciary Committee 
needs staff who understand the big picture and have an attention to 
detail while balancing numerous interests and priorities. Since 
Caroline so exceeded these requirements, her departure will leave very 
big shoes to fill. She will be missed by all.''
  Andrea Loving, Deputy Chief Counsel of the Immigration Subcommittee, 
says, ``Caroline's vast knowledge of criminal and national security law 
and policy commands a respect like none other I have seen on Capitol 
Hill. Her departure is truly a loss for America.''
  Even Caroline's colleagues on the other side of the aisle recognize 
her expertise and are sad to see her leave Capitol Hill.
  Perry Apelbaum, the Committee's Minority Staff Director and Chief 
Counsel says, ``I and our staff have very much enjoyed working with 
Caroline over the years. She has always been a great partner in 
accomplishing important work for our country. We will miss her and wish 
her the best.''
  Bobby Vassar, former Democrat Chief Counsel of the Crime Subcommittee 
says ``As a Chief Counsel for almost 20 years, I had the opportunity to 
work with several Republican Chief Crime Counsels. Caroline was the 
best `enemy' I ever had. We often had diametrically opposed views to 
represent on some of the most controversial and contentious issues in 
the Congress, but were able to do so in a spirit of mutual respect that 
allowed us to disagree, vehemently at times, without being 
disagreeable.''
  And Minority Oversight Counsel Aaron Hiller says, ``In any project 
that involves protecting the country, its people, or the prerogatives 
of this Committee, there is no one--and I mean no one--whom I would 
rather have on my team than Caroline Lynch. We will miss her very 
much.''
  Joe Graupensperger, Minority Chief Counsel for Crime and Criminal 
Justice, says, ``The Crime staff on both sides of the aisle have worked 
together closely over the years to achieve many bipartisan successes, 
and Caroline was critical to each one of them. We have appreciated 
Caroline's openness and collegiality with her Democratic counterparts. 
She is a great lawyer, a strong advocate for making our nation safer, 
and will always be a valued friend.''
  Of course, Caroline's team at the Subcommittee know her to be a 
determined leader and a steadfast friend.
  Bobby Parmiter says, ``Caroline is the definition of a `foxhole' 
person--exceptionally talented, dedicated, and tough. It is no 
exaggeration to say the American people are safer today than they would 
be had she not been doing this job over the past decade.''
  Chris Grieco says, ``A tireless and dogged lawyer who has undoubtedly 
made the country a safer and more secure place because of her 
unparalleled knowledge of law enforcement and national security issues 
and her unwavering commitment to getting it right regardless of 
politics.''
  Ryan Breitenbach says, ``Caroline is a dedicated public servant and 
Hill survivor, and one of the best bosses anyone can ask for. She is 
smart and nice, which in my opinion is the hopeful combination of any 
leader. Her love of her family draws her home, but not before she had 
given all she could to crafting our country's criminal and national 
security laws.''
  And Jason Cervenak says, ``I met Caroline on her very first day 
working on the Judiciary Committee. In walked this petite red head with 
a smile from ear to ear and an infectious laugh. I immediately thought 
`she's going to get eaten alive.' Well, I think we all know I couldn't 
have been more wrong.''
  We have appreciated Caroline's deep knowledge of criminal laws, the 
strength of her convictions, and her courage to speak the truth in a 
place where it is rarely convenient to do so.
  We will miss Caroline immensely. We wish her well in her new 
endeavors and we thank her for her years of dedicated service to this 
Committee, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the American people.

                          ____________________