[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 146 (Thursday, September 12, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5459-S5460]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                        Tribute to Sandy Edwards

  Mr. President, on one other matter, I want to take a moment to 
recognize a member of my staff who is nearing her retirement--Sandy 
Edwards.
  Sandy is the regional director in my Austin field office. She has 
been with me for nearly two decades--first, in my office when I was 
attorney general of Texas and now in the U.S. Senate, where she serves, 
as I said, as my central Texas regional director.
  Everybody who knows Sandy knows she has the heart and spirit of a 
public servant. She works hard to make sure that every Texan who 
contacts my office feels appreciated, understood, and is happy with the 
support they receive.
  She knows that our faces represent what people get for their tax 
dollars. With Sandy, central Texans have gotten some serious bang for 
their buck. Over the years, she has, of course, developed countless 
relationships with people and organizations that are working to improve 
our Texas communities in Central Texas.

  I will never forget one year spending a December evening out in East 
Austin at an incredible nonprofit called the Community First! Village. 
We joined formerly homeless people for a Christmas tree lighting and 
spent a cold, rainy night with them rejoicing at what this organization 
and the good-hearted people who work there have helped them to achieve.
  At one point, in 2012, Sandy had me biting down on a Starburst candy 
so students attending Girlstart Summer Camp could analyze my dental 
impression. I never got a report back of exactly how that turned out.
  Sandy is not a fair-weather friend. She has also been by my side 
during some very difficult times. For example, in 2009, following the 
horrific shooting at Fort Hood, she was there as I fought to find words 
to provide even an ounce of comfort to the grieving post and the 
families there. We paid our respects to these American heroes and 
watched the ramp ceremony as their flag-draped caskets were loaded into 
a C-17 for their flight to Dover.

[[Page S5460]]

  Then there was 2013 in West, TX. That is not the region. That is the 
name of the city. Following a massive fertilizer plant explosion, it 
tore through a tight-knit community and claimed the lives of 15 people, 
including most of the town's volunteer fire department. Sandy, of 
course, was on the ground, as she always is, helping to connect with 
the first responders and local officials, making sure they had the 
support we could provide from our office.
  She was there during the Bastrop fires in 2011, the Wimberley 
flooding in 2015, and the deadly hot air balloon crash in Maxwell, TX, 
in 2016. Sandy has been a gracious helping hand during the tough times 
and an enthusiastic cheerleader during the good ones. I am sorry to 
lose such a devoted staffer and friend, and I know my team in Texas 
will miss her bighearted participation in our team effort.
  I don't think it is really a coincidence that Sandy chose the month 
of September to retire because, of course, this is the start of her 
beloved Texas Longhorns' football season. I know she is looking forward 
to attending UT games this fall, along with her husband Stan and 
perhaps her son Kyle and his wife Brittney. I know for sure she will 
enjoy spending more time at her family's ranch in the Texas Hill 
Country.
  I come to the Senate floor to publicly express my appreciation, as 
well as that of my entire staff and I would dare say every single Texan 
who ever met her, and to thank Sandy Edwards for the lives she has 
touched and made better. I say, thank you, Sandy, and I wish you a 
well-deserved next chapter in your life.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. Fischer). The Senator from Louisiana.