[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 63 (Thursday, April 11, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2415-S2416]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                          Tribute to MJ Kenny

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I come to the floor this afternoon to 
honor a member of my staff. I thank Senator Fischer and Senator Manchin 
for giving me an opportunity to speak at this moment.
  MJ Kenny has been part of my team in the Senate for 9 years, and for 
the past several years, he was a constant on the floor of the Senate as 
deputy floor director of my staff. At the end of this week, he is going 
to be moving on to a new professional opportunity.
  Unlike many of us who work in this building, MJ actually is a 
resident of the Washington, DC, area. He graduated from Walt Whitman 
High School in Bethesda, MD, a suburb of the city of Washington.
  Walt Whitman wrote in his essay, ``Democratic Vistas,'' the 
following: ``Did you too, O friend, suppose democracy was only for 
elections, for politics, and for a party name?'' Walt Whitman 
understood that democracy is more than campaigns. Democracy is 
certainly more than just yelling at one another. Democracy is a 
process. It is a daily dedication to the institutions and norms and the 
rule of law. Making democracy work takes skill and commitment, and it 
takes many people who are willing to make a sacrifice and see the 
demands for long hours and the demands for time on the floor as part of 
their democratic commitment. This can demand great patience and great 
sacrifice. I think Walt Whitman would have given MJ Kenny high marks, 
as do I.
  For the last few years, MJ has helped to make sure the Senate does 
the daily work of democracy. I have counted on him to make sure that my 
interests were represented on the floor of the Senate, that my 
constituents in Illinois had a voice in the Senate, and that stories 
about Dreamers and other important information be shared in the 
Congressional Record with my colleagues and beyond. Making certain that 
the information was floor-ready was a responsibility of MJ Kenny, and 
he handled it professionally.
  MJ and my floor director, Reema Dodin, are my dynamic duo who help 
make things happen around here. Together, they are my eyes and ears on 
the floor when meetings and other obligations take me away. MJ has also 
been a big help to so many other Senators.
  He came to my office 12 years ago for an informational interview. We 
tried to decide whether we were right for one another. Luckily, I came 
to the conclusion that this graduate of Northwestern University in 
Chicago with a degree in history, who had already interned for then-
Congressman and now Senator Chris Van Hollen, was a good fit for my 
team and a good prospect to help us move forward. I gave MJ Kenny his 
opportunity, and I am sure glad I did. He flourished.
  In one year he moved from legislative correspondent to legislative 
aid to becoming a key part of my floor team. In every job he has done 
for me, MJ has been a steady, reliable partner. Even in difficult 
times, he works long hours without complaint and with grit and good 
humor.
  In college, he studied history. In the U.S. Senate and on this floor 
for the last 9 years, he has not only witnessed history, he has helped 
to shape it. I couldn't ask for more in a staff.
  I suspect that some of what MJ knows about patience and perseverance 
he learned as a lifelong, long-suffering Baltimore Orioles fan. It is 
like being a Chicago Cubs fan. Among his treasured possessions on his 
desk is a bobblehead of Manny Machado, the former O's third baseman and 
Golden Glove winner. Just as Manny Machado left the O's, MJ Kenny is 
leaving the Senate at the end of this week. I want to wish him 
continued success and thank him again for being such an important part 
of my team over the years.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from West Virginia.
  Mr. MANCHIN. Mr. President, first of all, I want to thank MJ also, on 
behalf of Senator Durbin. His staff does a

[[Page S2416]]

great job, and we always enjoy working with them. MJ, enjoy your new 
endeavor in life.