[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 49 (Wednesday, March 21, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S1874]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO JEREMY WEIRICH

  Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, today I wish to express my gratitude to 
Jeremy Weirich, who has served as clerk for the Appropriations 
Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, or 
CJS, for his many years of distinguished public service.
  Jeremy has dedicated much of his career to public service. He first 
came to the Senate in 2006 as a detailee from the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, where he was serving as an NOAA Corps 
officer. The CJS Subcommittee needed an expert on all things NOAA, and 
Jeremy was brought to our attention as someone knowledgeable, capable, 
and ready to take on the challenge. He did not disappoint.
  After his first stint at CJS, Jeremy returned to NOAA, but his 
knowledge and skills brought him back to the Senate in 2008. He 
initially worked on CJS for Senator Barbara Mikulski and then later as 
my subcommittee clerk. Jeremy is one of the few people on the Senate 
Appropriations Committee who has served as a clerk for both sides of 
the aisle. His honesty, integrity, and thoughtfulness have assisted in 
moving legislation through difficult situations. As can be witnessed by 
his dedicated work on behalf of both sides of the aisle, Jeremy is 
truly a consummate professional. His dealings with the members and 
staff in the Senate, both Republican and Democrat alike, are qualities 
that we all should strive to emulate.
  Jeremy's first love is the ocean, having served as the first 
executive officer of the Okeanos Explorer, as well as at NOAA. He 
carried that forward on CJS as he made sure that while we modernized 
our Nation's weather forecast system and took the first steps to make 
major capital investments in the NOAA fleet, we did so in a responsible 
manner. Jeremy helped ensure that our Nation's fisheries are managed 
responsibly and was always able to thread the needle in balancing the 
many differing interests. Jeremy's passion for exploration also helped 
guarantee that America has the vehicles and technology to further 
explore space with telescopes, satellites, and humans. He assisted in 
building the space launch system, but also kept an eye on the next 
generation of scientific exploration--everything from the James Webb 
Space Telescope to Mars rovers to Europa.
  Jeremy embraced the justice portion of the CJS portfolio by promoting 
public safety, overseeing the current home of the FBI's Terrorist 
Explosive Device Analytical Center, and being instrumental in 
implementing the Federal Bureau of Investigation's 21st century 
facilities plan.
  Most importantly, Jeremy approached his work with an essential 
appropriator's attitude: Let's get the job done. He was always ready to 
listen to members and their staffs, as well as experts from the 
agencies and outside communities. Every year, Jeremy worked tirelessly 
to craft a bill that garnered wide bipartisan support, and every year, 
he got the job done.
  As Jeremy leaves the Senate after a decade of hard work and dedicated 
public service, he leaves the Committee on Appropriations in a better 
place, with a long list of accomplishments that have bettered our 
Nation. He also leaves many colleagues that are sad to see him go.
  I want to thank Jeremy for his honorable service. I join the entire 
committee in wishing him continued success in his future endeavors and 
continued happiness in the years to come.

                          ____________________