[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 9 (Friday, January 13, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H533-H534]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     RECOGNIZING MARY FRANCES REPKO

  (Mr. HOYER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, every one of us who serves in this House 
relies on the talented and hardworking staff of ours and of the House 
itself. We couldn't do what we do without them. They not only serve us 
faithfully, but serve our constituents as well, and they often do so 
without recognition.
  Today my colleagues and I want to recognize someone who has been 
serving the people of Maryland's Fifth District and our country as a 
senior member of my staff for a decade and, indeed, before that, on the 
Senate side for close to a decade as well.
  Many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle have come to know 
Mary Frances Repko. If you have dealt with the environment, if you have 
dealt with energy, or if you have dealt with the history of the Senate 
and the House on energy legislation and environmental legislation over 
the last 20 years, you know Mary Frances Repko.
  Mr. Speaker, many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle know 
Mary Frances well and respect her deep intellect, her professionalism, 
and her sage counsel. When it comes to energy policy and environmental 
issues, there are few on this Hill who know more of the intricacies and 
complexities of the issues than she does.
  I am very proud of Mary Frances because the leadership staffs on both 
the Democratic and Republican side engage her in order to ensure that 
all the facts and ramifications of energy and environmental legislation 
are known and considered.
  Mary Frances has been integrally involved in every major energy and 
environmental legislative debate over the past 10 years.
  I know Leader Pelosi is also a great admirer of Mary Frances Repko. 
Her staff and Mary Frances have worked very closely together, including 
on the Recovery Act, the American Clean Energy and Security Act, the 
Energy Independence and Security Act, the EPA Act of 2005, the 
Renewable Fuel Standard, the BP oil spill, flood insurance, Hurricane 
Sandy relief, the Water Resources Development Act, the Flint water 
crisis, the Toxic Substances Control Act, the Land and Water 
Conservation Fund, land conservation bills, transportation bills, and 
fighting partisan antienvironmental riders--an extraordinary history of 
deep and effective involvement on the issues.

                              {time}  1545

  She has also been my lead staff on Puerto Rico, working closely with 
the Resident Commissioner's staff to help the people of the island 
through a debt crisis and Zika. For the past 4 years, she has also been 
the lead staffer for House Democrats' Make It In America plan for 
investing in job creation and making opportunities more accessible to 
American workers.
  When Mary Frances first came to the whip's office in 2007, I felt 
fortunate to have enticed her to leave the United States Senate, where 
she had served as a senior policy adviser for the Committee on the 
Environment and Public Works. Earlier, she had served as Senator 
Cantwell's legislative director, and as legislative staffer for former 
Senator Russ Feingold.
  Now it is with a great sadness that we must wish her farewell and 
send her back to the Senate, where she will return to the Environment 
and Public Works Committee as its new deputy staff director.
  Ms. PELOSI. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. HOYER. I yield to the gentlewoman from California.
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank Whip Hoyer for yielding and for 
calling attention to the serious loss the House will suffer with Mary 
Frances leaving.
  The first thing that I am inclined to say is: Mary Frances, say it 
isn't so. We so depend on your wisdom, your knowledge, your judgment, 
your advice, and guidance on all of the issues that the distinguished 
whip has mentioned.
  The appreciation for Mary Frances goes well beyond the whip's office, 
throughout the leadership, and our caucus and, I think, across the 
aisle, certainly across the Capitol.
  I was hoping in the last couple of days that the decision might be 
reversed, but Mary Frances, we wish her well. We are not sending her, 
Mr. Hoyer, to the Senate. She is going to the Senate. But it is 
wonderful to know that the Senate will be blessed with her great 
leadership, knowledge, wisdom, judgment, and beautiful temperament.
  Mary Frances, thank you. Don't be a stranger to us. We look forward 
to continuing our work together to preserve our planet, to create jobs 
in our country, to do so many things that are a part of your values and 
our values.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I know that Mary Frances very much 
appreciates the words of Leader Pelosi. I know that the leader is 
absolutely correct: we are not sending her. She is going.
  But I want to tell the leader and tell this House that I talked to 
Senator Carper, who is the chairman of the committee, and I said: Tom, 
I will not stand in the schoolhouse door, if you will, and not let her 
out of our office; but you must pledge that she will be available for 
our calls and for our questions on a regular basis.
  Madam Leader, he assures me that that is the case. I thank the 
gentlewoman for the comments.
  Mr. Speaker, our loss, though, is the Senate's gain. I have no doubt 
that Mary Frances will bring her talents, her wisdom, and her Michigan-
bred can-do attitude to the important work the committee will undertake 
this Congress and in the years ahead.
  I hope all of my colleagues and, indeed, the American people we serve 
will join me in thanking Mary Frances Repko for her contributions to 
the work of this House and to the service she has given to our country 
during her time as a member of the staff of the Senate and the House.
  I hope you will all join me in wishing her great success in her new 
position, in which I can assure you she will not be a stranger to us in 
the House, but a crucial liaison to the work of the Environment and 
Public Works Committee just across the hall.
  Thank you, Mary Frances. Thank you for a job well done and for your 
service and wise counsel.

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