[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 146 (Tuesday, September 4, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1193-E1194]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO JENNIFER L. HOMENDY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. PETER A. DeFAZIO

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, September 4, 2018

  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Jennifer L. 
Homendy, who recently

[[Page E1194]]

left the staff of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
after more than 14 years of service as the Democratic Staff Director of 
the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials. I had 
the privilege of working with Jennifer throughout her entire time with 
the Committee, but most closely since 2015 when I took over as Ranking 
Member.
  Jennifer was born in New Britain, Connecticut, but later moved with 
her family to the Washington Metro area. For Jennifer, the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure was more than just a place to work; 
it was a second family. Her father, Sante Esposito, served as the 
Democratic Chief Counsel to the Committee from 1981 to 1998. Through 
both her father and mother, Jennifer learned the importance of public 
service at a young age.
  As a student at Pennsylvania State University, Jennifer got her first 
real experience in government interning in Senator Arlen Spector's 
Harrisburg office. After graduation, she worked for the National 
Federation of Independent Business and the American Iron and Steel 
Institute before spending seven years working for transportation 
labor--first with the Transportation Trades Department and then the 
International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
  She left the Teamsters in 2004 to join the Democratic staff of the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, where she developed 
unrivaled expertise in issues surrounding the railroad industry and its 
employees, the safety and security of transporting hazardous materials, 
and the safety of oil and gas pipelines.
  Jennifer is a passionate and tireless advocate for transportation 
safety, which is why it is extremely fitting that Jennifer left the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure to become a Board Member 
at the National Transportation Safety Board. During her tenure as Staff 
Director, Jennifer guided major pieces of rail, pipeline, and hazmat 
safety legislation through the legislative process, including: the 
Norman Y. Mineta Research and Specials Programs Improvement Act of 
2004; the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity 
Act--A Legacy for Users; the Pipeline Inspection, Protection, 
Enforcement, and Safety Act of 2006; the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 
2008; the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 
(PRIIA); the Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty, and Job Creation 
Act of 2011; and the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST 
Act) in 2015. Throughout her tenure on the Committee, she was an 
unwavering defender of the Nation's passenger railroad, Amtrak, and the 
need for swift implementation of positive train control.
  When she is not at work trying to improve the safety of our 
transportation system, Jennifer spends her time running and training 
for marathons and triathlons. She is also a devoted mother who spends 
many weekends traveling with her daughter Alexandra (Lexi) to Irish 
dance competitions across the country.
  I want to thank Jennifer for her many years of service to the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. We will miss her, but 
look forward to working with her in her new role at the NTSB. I wish 
Jennifer, her husband Mike, and daughter Lexi all the best in the years 
to come.

                          ____________________