[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 176 (Tuesday, November 5, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S6386]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO KATHLEEN OTT

  Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, I want to recognize Kathleen ``Kathy'' 
Ott, who recently retired from her role as the Director of the Library 
of Congress' Congressional Relations Office after 11 years of dedicated 
service to the Library and to Congress.
  Appointed in 2008 by former Librarian of Congress, Dr. James 
Billington, Kathy was sought after by the Library for her extensive 
experience interfacing with Congress from both the public and private 
sectors. As the director of the Library's Congressional Relations 
Office, she spent more than a decade of her career building strong 
bipartisan relationships between the Library, Congress, and 
congressional staff.
  Kathy has had the privilege of serving two Librarians of Congress, 
Dr. James Billington and Dr. Carla D. Hayden. Kathy was instrumental in 
supporting Dr. Hayden's confirmation process. With the help of Kathy's 
tireless effort throughout the nomination process, Dr. Hayden was 
overwhelmingly confirmed in a bipartisan fashion by the Senate during 
the 114th Congress.
  In her time at the Library, Kathy has shaped the Library's 
relationship with Congress through 3 Presidential administrations, 6 
Congresses, and 11 budget and appropriations cycles, building 
bipartisan support for Library of Congress initiatives along the way. 
Additionally, she worked with 10 different chairs of the Senate Rules 
and Administration Committee and House Administration Committee. As a 
member of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, I always 
appreciated Kathy's thorough and dutiful commitment to her role, the 
Library, and Congress.
  During her tenure, Kathy has welcomed nearly 500 new Members of 
Congress during their freshman orientation activities hosted at the 
Library. She also created the bipartisan Library of Congress Caucus in 
the 111th Congress, which currently has 84 Representatives. Moreover, 
she helped to coordinate the congressional participation in the award 
of the Library's Gershwin Prize for Popular Song to the likes of Sir 
Paul McCartney, Billy Joel, Smokey Robinson, as well as other 
noteworthy musical artists.
  In her position, Kathy also played an integral role in the launch of 
the Library's popular Congressional Dialogue Dinner Series in 2013, 
which has just concluded its 45th dinner. Marcelle and I have had the 
pleasure of enjoying many wonderful nights at the Library attending 
these delightful dinners and discussions.
  Marcelle and I have had so many wonderful experiences with Kathy. I 
have to mention one especially. When Pope Francis came to speak to a 
joint meeting of Congress, Kathy had arranged to have a special Bible 
from the Library's collection available to be blessed by the Pope. She 
knew the Pope would bless it, so she arranged to have with it several 
religious medals and other things important to her and her family 
available to be a part of the blessing. I know the Pope didn't mind, 
and those of us there thought, ``This is why we think the world of 
her.''
  Kathy has always been known as a reliable and trusted source for 
Library of Congress information. She will be greatly missed by Members 
of Congress and congressional staff alike. Marcelle and I wish Kathy 
the best in retirement.

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