[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 156 (Thursday, September 26, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S5744]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO CHRIS GASPAR

  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, today I wish to bid a fond farewell 
and recognize the excellent service of my longtime foreign affairs and 
defense policy adviser, Christopher Gaspar.
  Over the past 6 years, Chris has brought expertise, insight, and sage 
advice across a wide range of defense policy, defense appropriations, 
and foreign affairs matters that have benefited me directly and, 
through his service, the Nation.
  I have valued Chris's counsel on contentious issues to include Iran's 
nuclear program and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action to address 
it; the Israel-Palestinian conflict; U.S.-China relations; human rights 
issues in Saudi Arabia, Burma, and Tibet; national security space 
launch; deteriorating conditions in Central American countries; 
oversight of the U.S. nuclear arsenal; and U.S. counterterrorism 
efforts across the globe.
  The people of California largely don't know his name, but have 
benefited from his dedicated work on numerous National Defense 
Authorization Acts and Defense Appropriations Acts. He has helped enact 
numerous provisions into law for the betterment of the State, including 
securing seven C-130 tankers for California to fight wildfires, making 
California's the largest wildfire aerial fleet in the country. He has 
worked with our counties and cities to allow underutilized National 
Guard facilities to be used to combat California's homelessness crisis. 
This year, he led a comprehensive effort to investigate and draft 
reforms to address shameful, substandard contract military housing to 
meet the needs of our servicemembers and their families a provision 
that I hope will soon be enacted in this year's defense bill.
  Chris has been by my side for numerous sensitive meetings with 
foreign leaders, ambassadors, military commanders, corporate chiefs, 
and local officials, and he has always exhibited a level of 
professionalism, dedication, and empathy that I deeply admire and 
appreciate.
  He has also helped California constituents facing issues abroad, 
served as a valued mentor to junior staff, dedicated himself to liaison 
relationships with the House of Representatives on coffee meetings, 
proven himself to be an integral member of my appropriations team, and 
was always ready with a quip--sometimes humorous--to help lighten the 
mood.
  Chris is moving on to the private sector----hopefully temporarily--
and will spend some much deserved down-time with his new wife. I wish 
him all the best in his future endeavors, and my staff and I will 
deeply miss him.
  Thank you

                          ____________________