[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 22 (Monday, February 3, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E119]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     HONORING N. ERIC WEISS, PH.D. IN CELEBRATION OF HIS RETIREMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. DONALD S. BEYER, JR.

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, February 3, 2020

  Mr. BEYER. Madam Speaker, N. Eric Weiss, Ph.D., a specialist in 
financial economics, retired from the Government and Finance Division 
ofthe Congressional Research Service (CRS) at the Library of Congress 
on January 3, 2020. In addition to his 15 years at CRS, Dr. Weiss also 
worked as an economist and econometrician at the Department of Housing 
and Urban Development's Office of Policy Development and Research for 
12 years and the Bureau of Economic Analysis for 3 years, for a total 
of 30 years' service to the American people. CRS and the Congress have 
lost an exceptionally able and dedicated public servant with his 
departure.
  A native of Massachusetts, Dr. Weis earned a bachelor's degree from 
Cornell University in economics and government; he earned a master of 
arts and doctorate of philosophy, both in economics, from Washington 
University in St. Louis. Dr. Weiss began his career teaching 
microeconomics to MBA and undergraduate students at the University of 
North Carolina at Charlotte, and although he left academia for federal 
service, he returned occasionally to teach at the Institute for Urban 
Studies at the University of Maryland at College Park and the 
Department of Finance and Real Estate at the Kogod College of Business 
at American University. Prior to joining CRS, Dr. Weiss also worked in 
the private sector, providing data management and programming services 
to clients such as Fannie Mae and various federal agencies.
  Dr. Weiss joined CRS in September 2005 as a specialist in financial 
economics, initially with a concentration in small business lending. He 
retooled his research portfolio as the housing finance crisis of 2008 
to 2009 developed, bringing his nationally-recognized expertise to the 
forefront as CRS supported Congress in responding to a range of 
housing-related policy issues, including the state of the housing and 
mortgage markets and the effectiveness of federal policies toward home 
ownership. During this period, he provided targeted analysis for 
Members and staff on the activities of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, 
government sponsored enterprises (GSEs) to provide liquidity in the 
mortgage market and promote homeownership for underserved groups and 
locations. In reports and memoranda for, and personal briefings with, 
Members and staff, he provided insightful analysis and detailed 
information on the costs, benefits, and risks of the GSEs, along with 
their impact on the housing and mortgage markets particularly after 
being placed under conservatorship.
  During this period, Dr. Weiss worked closely with Congress as it 
drafted the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act 
of 2010. For legislation and oversight hearings, he briefed Members and 
staffers on current issues and policy options. Dr. Weiss's published 
work for CRS demonstrated a detailed understanding of the complex and 
significant policy issues surrounding these institutions and their 
operations, winning him praise and achievement awards from CRS.
  In addition to his primary coverage areas at CRS, Dr. Weiss (along 
with fellow colleague Dr. Edward ``Ted'' V. Murphy) authored ``Congress 
and Financial Crises,'' U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Rules and 
Administration, The Evolving Congress, committee print, prepared by 
Congressional Research Service, 113th Cong., 2nd sess., December 2014, 
S. Prt. 113-30 (Washington: GPO, 2014), pp. 325-352, which provided 
historical documentation of Congress' responses to financial crises. 
Dr. Weiss was also active in professional associations, including the 
American Economics Association, the American Real Estate and Urban 
Economics Association, and Women in Housing Finance. He has been a 
regular participant in, and contributor to, numerous academic 
conferences in his fields of expertise.
  Away from the office, Dr. Weiss and his wife, Sheila, are the proud 
parents of two adult daughters--Holly and Andrea. In addition to having 
more time with family during retirement, he plans to pursue his 
numerous recreational, artistic, and social interests, including 
photography, scuba diving around the world, running, woodworking, and 
membership in a CRS staff book club.
  On behalf of the Members of the Joint Economic Committee, I express 
my deep appreciation to Dr. Weiss for his many years of service to 
Congress and the American people. I wish him good luck and Godspeed as 
he completes his professional career and opens a new chapter in a life 
of commendable public service and rewarding personal achievement.

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