[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 38 (Wednesday, February 26, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E216]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   IN REMEMBRANCE OF FIONA HECKSCHER

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. RICHARD E. NEAL

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 26, 2020

  Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to offer my condolences to the 
family and friends of Fiona Heckscher, a valued member of the Office of 
House Legislative Counsel, who we lost over the February recess. At 
just 33 years of age, Fiona was one of only four members of the 
prestigious tax drafting team; her skilled draftsmanship can be seen 
throughout the tax code. From her work on the TCJA, to her work on 
important initiatives in the 116th Congress such as the Economic 
Mobility Act, the Lower Drug Costs Now Act, and the Protecting American 
Lungs Act, the knowledge and creativity that Fiona brought to the tax 
drafting process has left a lasting impact on our nation's laws.
   A graduate of Brown University and the Yale School of Law, Fiona 
began with the Office of House Legislative Counsel in 2014. Since that 
time, Members and staff alike had come to rely on Fiona's wisdom beyond 
her years, the depth of her knowledge of the tax code, and the patience 
and warmth she exuded day in and day out, no matter how stressful the 
job got.
   Fiona was an institutionalist and deeply believed in the worth of 
the non-partisan work done by the Office of the Legislative Counsel: 
for the members, their staff and most of all for the American people. 
She often said that she felt lucky to be doing work that could further 
bipartisan collaboration. Fiona will be remembered for her dedication 
to the Congress, for the passion she showed for her work, and for the 
kindness with which she treated others.
   Fiona and her fiance Neal Desai had scheduled their marriage to take 
place when Congress would be in recess for the 2020 election. Her 
parents, Lavinia Hall and Charles Heckscher, her brothers Alexander and 
Dylan, and her fiance Neal mourn the loss of her light in their lives.
   I send my deepest sympathies out to them, and to all of Fiona's 
close friends and colleagues, and I ask my colleagues to do the same. 
Please know that Fiona's good work has left a meaningful and lasting 
mark on the Congress, and on the country.

                          ____________________