[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 27 (Monday, February 10, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S949-S951]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                   Impeachment Trial Acknowledgments

  Mr. President, on a totally unrelated matter, as the impeachment 
trial ended last week, I offered preliminary thanks to a few of the 
individuals whose outstanding service helped the institution fulfill 
this unique and challenging responsibility.
  Rising to the occasion for just the third time in Senate history, it 
took herculean efforts from a long list of hard-working and dedicated 
people. So I would like to take a little bit of time this afternoon to 
share some Senate gratitude that too often goes unexpressed.
  After I name some key individuals and offices within the Senate, I 
will submit a fuller list for the Record.
  First, thanks to the Sergeant at Arms, Mike Stenger, and his entire 
team, especially the tremendous efforts of our Deputy Sergeant at Arms, 
Jennifer Hemingway; our protocol experts, including Becky Schaaf and 
Carly Flick; Krista Beale and Bob Shelton of Capitol and Chamber 
Operations; and, of course, Grace Ridgeway and her remarkable Capitol 
Facilities team.
  Many other offices had to go far above and beyond their normal 
duties:

[[Page S950]]

the executive office, doorkeepers, Press Gallery directors, Printing 
and Graphics, the Counsel, the Recording Studio, the Appointments Desk, 
the Switchboard, and the Chief Information Officer.
  Thanks, of course, to the Secretary of the Senate, Julie Adams, and 
all of those vital Senate offices.
  In particular, I have to single out our Parliamentarians, Elizabeth 
MacDonough and Leigh Hildebrand, and Parliamentary Clerk Christy 
Amatos. This expert team of professionals sacrificed nights, weekends, 
and holidays to ensure that this institution was ready to navigate 
little-charted waters, follow infrequently used rules, and track with 
the letter of the rules at every turn. We are so grateful.
  Many others made huge contributions as well: the offices of the 
Legislative Clerk, the Official Reporters of Debates, the Journal 
Clerk, Captioning Services, the Senate Historian, Senate Security, the 
Curator's Office, the Senate Library, and the Office of Printing and 
Document Services.
  Thanks also to the Architect of the Capitol's team for making sure 
our physical plant was up to snuff, to Chairman Roy Blunt on the Rules 
Committee and their staff, and to the Office of Senate Legal Counsel 
and the Government Publishing Office.
  As I mentioned last week, we are hugely grateful to the Capitol 
Police, the Senate pages, and the Chief Justice of the United States, 
John Roberts, and his staff.
  I would like to recognize Erin Sager Vaughn, on the staff of the 
Democratic Leader, Senator Schumer, for her many efforts, and all the 
offices on both sides, particularly the staff assistants whose days 
became far busier during matters of especially great public interest.
  Before I conclude, I need to thank several more players, 
specifically, on the Republican side and in my own office. Thanks to 
Chairman Lindsey Graham's staff on the Judiciary Committee, who poured 
enormous work into this process, particularly Brendan Chestnut and Gabi 
Michalak; to Chairman Grassley's team on Senate Finance and to our 
Majority Whip, Senator Thune, and the Whip office.
  I am enormously grateful to Laura Dove, the Secretary for the 
Majority, for literally working around the clock to listen carefully to 
our Members and map out the complex strategy for the Senate to fulfill 
our duty. Laura sat on the dais for this trial just like her father 
Robert Dove before her, who was serving as Senate Parliamentarian in 
1999.
  Huge thanks to Robert Duncan, the Assistant Secretary, and their 
entirely stellar Cloakroom team: Chris Tuck, Megan Mercer, Noelle 
Ringel, Tony Hanagan, Katherine Foster, Brian Canfield, and Abigail 
Baker. We very simply could not have done this without you.
  And last, but certainly not least, I need to thank my own staff. 
Working for Senate leadership tends to mean there is no normal. There 
is no easy day. Call it an occupational hazard, but even by those 
standards, the past several months have required extraordinary efforts 
from my talented team. Andrew Ferguson, my chief counsel, became a 
leading expert on every component of impeachment seemingly overnight 
and offered invaluable counsel, guidance, and leadership at every 
single stage of this process.
  Thanks as well to Robert Karem, my national security adviser, and Jim 
Neill and Erica Suares; to my communications director, David Popp and 
the entire team he oversees, led by Doug Andres, Andrew Quinn, and 
Scott Sloofman, including Dylan Vorbach, and, especially, the crack 
research team of Robert Utsey and David Hauptmann.
  Thanks to Sarah Fairchild, Alexandra Jenkins, and our operations team 
of Victoria Mason, Spencer Abraham, and Elise Stebick.
  Thanks to my Kentucky office team, led by Phil Maxson, and my in-
State offices, led by Terry Carmack, for continuing their crucial work 
while Washington was literally consumed by impeachment.
  Most of all, I need to thank my staff's fearless leaders, Scott Raab, 
deputy chief of staff for Policy; Stefanie Muchow, my deputy chief of 
staff for operations, for her enormous efforts day and night; and 
Sharon Soderstrom, my chief of staff. I rely on Sharon's wisdom, 
expertise, and impeccable judgment every single day. I cannot thank her 
enough.
  With that, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the more 
comprehensive list of individuals to thank be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

       ln addition to the individuals I just named, I want to 
     express the Senate's sincere gratitude to the following 
     individuals for their essential contributions to the historic 
     undertaking of a presidential impeachment trial.
       In the Office of the Chief Justice: Jeff Minear, George 
     Everly, Megan Braun, and Craig Carroll.
       On the staff of the Senate Judiciary Committee: Tim 
     Rodriguez, Watson Homer, Mike Fragoso, Zach Somers, Elliott 
     Walden, Chris Ventura, Lindsey Keiser, Raija Churchill, and 
     Arthur Baker.
       On the staff of the Senate Finance Committee: Joshua Flynn-
     Brown, Delisa Ragsdale, Taylor Foy, George Hartmann, and 
     Michel Zona.
       On the staff of the Senate Rules Committee: Fitzhugh Elder 
     and Rachelle Schroeder.
       On the staff of the Majority Whip: Nick Rossi, Geoff 
     Antell, Jason Van Beek, Daffnei Riedel, and the entire Whip 
     team.
       In the Office of the Secretary of the Senate: the Assistant 
     Secretary of the Senate, Mary Suit Jones, as well as Dan 
     Schwager, Rachel Creviston, Sydney Butler, and Vanessa 
     VandeHey.


 =========================== NOTE =========================== 

  
  On page S950, February 10, 2020, second column, the following 
appears: In the Office of the Secretary of the Senate: Dan 
Schwager, Rachel Creviston, Sydney Butler, and Vanessa VandeHey.
  
  The online Record has been corrected to read:In the Office of 
the Secretary of the Senate: the Assistant Secretary of the 
Senate, Mary Suit Jones, as well as Dan Schwager, Rachel 
Creviston, Sydney Butler, and Vanessa VandeHey.


 ========================= END NOTE ========================= 


       Among the many people it takes to run the Senate floor, 
     Cassandra Byrd, Allys Lasky, Billy Walsh, Megan Pickel, Adam 
     Gottlieb, John Merlino, Mary Anne Clarkson, Sara Schwartzman, 
     and Lindsay Gibmeyer.
       In the Office of Conservation and Preservation: Beverly 
     Adams and Susan Rapuano.
       In the Senate Curator's Office: Melinda Smith, Sasha 
     Lourie, Megan Hipsley, Jennifer Krafchik, Theresa Malanum, 
     and Corey Purtell.
       In the Senate Historical Office: Betty Koed, Kate Scott, 
     Dan Holt, Karen Paul, Amy Camilleri, Beth Hahn, and Mary 
     Baumann.
       In the Senate Library: Leona Faust, Kara Baer, Meghan Dunn, 
     Annelisa Cobleigh. Rachel Donelson, Meg Kuhagen, Rachel 
     Sharrow, and Jessica Sprigings.
       In the Office of Captioning Services: Sandra Schumm, Doreen 
     Chendorain, Laurie Harris, Brenda Jamerson, and Jennifer 
     Smoilka.
       In the Office of Official Reporters of Debates: Dorothy 
     Rull, Susie Nguyen, Patrice Boyd, Mary Carpenter, Octavio 
     Colominas, Carole Darche, Diane Dorhamer, Chantal Geneus, 
     Alice Haddow, Andrea Huston, Catalina Kerr, Julia LaCava, 
     Michele Melhorn, Adrian Swann, and Shannon Taylor-Scott, and 
     Julia Jones.
       In the Office of Printing and Document Services: Laura Rush 
     and Robert Braggs Ill.
       In the Office of Senate Security: Mike DiSilvestro and 
     Ronny Howard.
       In the Office of Senate Legal Counsel: Pat Bryan and Morgan 
     Frankel.
       In the Office of the Sergeant at Arms: Garrett Burns, Jeff 
     Kent, Laura Lytle, Mike Mastrian, Justin Wilson, Brian Trott, 
     Terence Liley, Bob Swanner, Karl Jackson, Mele Williams, Joan 
     Sartori, Debbie Tyler, Chris Jordan, Lynden Armstrong, and 
     Brian McGinty.


 =========================== NOTE =========================== 

  
  On page S950, February 10, 2020, third column, the following 
appears: In the Office of the Sergeant at Arms: Jeff Kent, Laura 
Lytle, Mike Mastrian, Justin Wilson, Brian Trott, Terence Liley, 
Bob Swanner, Karl Jackson, Mele Williams, Joan Sartori, Debbie 
Tyler, Chris Jordan, Lynden Armstrong, and Brian McGinty.
  
  The online Record has been corrected to read: In the Office of 
the Sergeant at Arms: Garrett Burns, Jeff Kent, Laura Lytle, Mike 
Mastrian, Justin Wilson, Brian Trott, Terence Liley, Bob Swanner, 
Karl Jackson, Mele Williams, Joan Sartori, Debbie Tyler, Chris 
Jordan, Lynden Armstrong, and Brian McGinty.


 ========================= END NOTE ========================= 


       In the Capitol Facilities Office: Monique Beckford, James 
     Banavong, Jamie Becker, Hugh Bennett, James Hardwick, Jim 
     Hoover, Andy Mohammed, Eileen Penot, Carlos Abarca, Leopoldo 
     Aldayuz, Edward Cooper, John Davis, Jonathan Everett, 
     Lawrence Ford, Steve Hall, Anthony Maree, James Montgomery, 
     Olga Morales, Ana Orellana, Gary Richardson, Thomas Shaw, 
     Misael Ulloa, Shariff Washington, Lyndon Webb, Sharif 
     Amirgholi, Kelly Butler, Brenda Byrd, Verona Clemmons, Johnny 
     Dixon, Ronald Gibson, Clydette Greer, Cleveland Johnson, Leon 
     Jones, James Kennedy, Christina Mischel, Carlos Perez, Donnie 
     Proctor, Alfredo Romero, Albert Sandidge, James Shird, 
     Kenneth Vick, Branden Waters, Dominique Williams, Patrick 
     Williams, Patricia Browne, Nandranie Gourzis, Christopher 
     Hauser, Le'Moine Simpson, Elmer Villatoro, and Jermaine 
     Washington.
       In the Capitol Operations office: Laverne Allen, Tyson 
     Allison, Spencer Barks, Gwen Barnhardt, Dan Benedix, Lauren 
     Cavignano, Tyler Chandler, Gail Daniels, Katherine Edwards, 
     Michelle Enfiejian, Marcella Ferguson, Tom Ford, Wyatt 
     Fulghum, Elizabeth Garcia, Rocketa Gillis, Tony Goldsmith, 
     Patrick Green, Ryan Hoban, Denis Houlihan, Randi Hutchinson, 
     Alex Johnson, Della Jones, Jim Jordan, Jacob Kaufman, Cindy 
     Kesler, Emily Lamb, Raciee Leake, Shahwan Mason, Philip 
     Norton, Mickey Oldaker, Timothy O'Neill, Jonathan Pacheco, 
     Essence Patterson, Patrick Pettey, Julie Pfister, Megan 
     Sheffield, David Straszheim, Todd Trautman, German Vasquez, 
     Delta Whitfield, Narcy Bonilla, Dottie Bright, Merriell 
     Briscoe, Ava Burleson, Barbara Callands, Adrianne Culver, 
     Monica Thomas- Hawkins, Logan Johnson, Karen Jones, Khavin 
     Kry, Tori Mayo, Marcela Samuels, April Foxx-Shird, Tina 
     Stewart, Stella Strozier, Nellie Taylor, Lisa Thompson, 
     Rochelle Thorpe, and Carol Yearwood.
       In the Senate Recording Studio: Jeff Horne, John Buszinski, 
     Tim Heacock, John Judge, Bill Steinhour, Chris Wilde, Scott 
     Mead, Rob Strickland, John Grutzik, Gregg Brunclik, Paul 
     Casasco, Blair Cooper, Stewart Grace, Jennifer Johnson, Chris 
     Langley,

[[Page S951]]

     Kevin Neale, Kirby Reitz, Thinh Pham, Bryan Whitney, Eric 
     Zeitlin, Lori Thabet, Luke Gallagher, Mariano Molina, Carlos 
     Velado, Rogelio Velado, Ward Webster, Bob Becker, Kristen 
     Betsill, Matt Commeree, Kristy Dyson, Torgunn Eckroad, John 
     Evanko, Lori Helm, Lolita Graef, Carol Anne Jarrett, Kevin 
     Loftus, Nate Russell, Angelo Skarlatos, Diego Torres, and 
     John Viscardi.
       In the Office of the Chief Information Officer: Jonathan 
     Braxton, Tiffany Deliberto, David Gately, John Hartsfield, 
     Bill Hill, Chris Humphrey, Rudolph Janifer, Katie Miller, 
     Eric Quintos, Jack Reynolds, Bryan Steward and Tony Williams.
       In the Office of Security and Emergency Preparedness: Wendy 
     Colmore, Gordon Liscomb, and Ronda Stewart.
       In the Printing, Graphics and Direct Mail Office: Julio 
     Benitez, Shayna Mack, George Thompson, Scott Wilson, John 
     Zupko.
       The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton and Mark Reed.
       In the Government Publishing Office, Hugh Halpern and his 
     team.
       And last but certainly not least, in my own Office of the 
     Majority Leader: Valerie Chicola, Katherine Grayson, Emily 
     Hauck, and Suzanne Youngblood.


 =========================== NOTE =========================== 

  
  On page S951, February 10, 2020, first column, the following 
appears: In the Printing, Graphics and Direct Mail Office: Julio 
Benitez, Shayna Mack, George Thompson, Scott Wilson, John Zupko. 
And last but certainly not least, in my own Office of the Majority 
Leader: Valerie Chicola, Katherine Grayson, Emily Hauck, and 
Suzanne Youngblood.
  
  The online Record has been corrected to read: In the Printing, 
Graphics and Direct Mail Office: Julio Benitez, Shayna Mack, 
George Thompson, Scott Wilson, John Zupko. The Architect of the 
Capitol, Brett Blanton and Mark Reed. In the Government Publishing 
Office, Hugh Halpern and his team. And last but certainly not 
least, in my own Office of the Majority Leader: Valerie Chicola, 
Katherine Grayson, Emily Hauck, and Suzanne Youngblood.


 ========================= END NOTE ========================= 


       A great many talented and dedicated professionals went far 
     above and beyond the ordinary course of their duties to help 
     the U.S. Senate complete this unusual but essential 
     constitutional duty. This institution is not good enough at 
     saying ``thank you,'' let alone after an undertaking of 
     literally historic proportions. We are grateful to all of you 
     for your work--these past days and every day.

  Mr. McCONNELL. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.