[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 88 (Monday, May 22, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E687]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                       TRIBUTE TO BRIAN C. COOPER

                                  _____
                                 

                           HON. PAUL D. RYAN

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 22, 2017

  Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Brian C. 
Cooper, who is retiring from the Office of the Parliamentarian after 35 
years on Capitol Hill.
  Brian is the son of Dolores and Ellsworth Cooper, and the youngest of 
seven children. He is a native of Baltimore, Maryland, and has lived in 
the city (in the same house he grew up in) for his entire life. Brian 
is a graduate of Frederick Douglass High School, whose notable alumni 
include the Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. Brian received a 
scholarship to the Community College of Baltimore (now Baltimore City 
Community College), where he received his degree in commercial and 
graphic arts.
  Brian's first job on Capitol Hill came in September of 1982, when he 
was hired in the stock room of the Longworth Building, working in 
Publication and Distribution Services. Throughout the 1980s and early 
1990s, Brian held a variety of positions on Capitol Hill, including 
work at the House Post Office and Document Room, before moving up to 
become staff assistant for the Small Business Committee and later the 
Government Operations Committee. In these roles, Brian learned the 
intricacies of the legislative process and the inner workings of House 
operations--skills that would serve him well when, in 1995, he was 
hired as an Assistant Clerk to the Parliamentarian.
  Brian would spend the next 22 years in the House Parliamentarian's 
Office, and became Chief Clerk to the Parliamentarian in 2009. For over 
two decades, Brian has been a fixture at the House rostrum, dutifully 
assisting the presiding officer in timekeeping, recognizing Members on 
the floor, and preparing and reviewing reams of legislative paperwork 
for the House. Brian has also prepared the House for joint meetings to 
receive foreign dignitaries and other guests, and joint sessions of the 
House, including state of the Union addresses. As clerk, Brian also 
supervised House ``documentarian'' pages, and created the first 
computer network for the Parliamentarian.
  An accomplished artist, Brian remains active in his artistic 
endeavors, which run the gamut from pencil drawings, watercolors, and 
oils, to photography, and architectural design. His retirement will 
offer new opportunities to continue these pursuits. His other 
retirement plans include travel and spending more time with family--
including his numerous nieces and nephews. A devoted Baltimore sports 
fan, Brian will surely find his way to Camden Yards many times in the 
upcoming years to cheer on his beloved Orioles.
  A consummate professional, Brian has spent his career on Capitol Hill 
committed to assisting with an orderly and accurate legislative 
process, observed in a fair and nonpartisan manner. Brian is a 
quintessential institutionalist, always striving to continue the 
traditions and customs of the House, and to pass on his institutional 
knowledge to others. The House of Representatives has known few 
individuals more dedicated to its proper functioning and legacy than 
Brian Cooper.

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