[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 39 (Thursday, February 27, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1172-S1173]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                         Tribute to Laura Dove

  Mr. President, finally, on a different note and a very happy note, I 
want to conclude my remarks by noting the departure of a staffer who, 
although she works for Leader McConnell, is truly a resource for and a 
credit to the Senate as a whole--Laura Dove.
  It is a happy note for her. She is moving on to even bigger and 
better things. But it is a sad note for all of us, Democrats and 
Republicans, in the Senate because she has done such a good job.
  Laura is the Secretary for the Majority. As with many job titles in 
Washington, Laura's title does not come close to capturing what she 
actually does, nor does it remotely reflect her importance to this 
Chamber.
  The two caucus Secretaries--Gary Myrick for the Senate minority and 
Laura Dove for the majority--literally make the Senate function. Their 
negotiations determine when we come in and out of session, which 
amendments will be considered, and their parliamentary expertise guides 
Senators of both parties. Laura's attention to detail is such that even 
the dress code of the Senate does not escape her.

  Laura has certainly been around this Chamber for as long as many of 
the Senators she advises. The Senate is in her blood. Her father, Bob 
Dove, was the Senate Parliamentarian. Dinner table conversations in the 
Dove household must have included the arcana of Senate procedure, 
particularly because some of those family dinners occurred here in the 
Senate itself, as Mr. Dove worked the sometimes late hours of the 
Senate.
  Both of Mr. Dove's daughters served as pages, and now both of Laura's 
children have served as pages as well--a family tradition unique among 
family traditions. Few have done as much to support the page program as 
Laura. She not only keeps a watchful and supportive eye over their time 
on the

[[Page S1173]]

floor, but she has invited them into her home, welcoming any page 
wishing to celebrate a Jewish holiday with her family. I want to thank 
her especially for how much she has done for Senate pages, and from the 
vantage point of the lens of the C-SPAN camera, the Senate floor looks 
like a forum for disagreement and sometimes for vociferous debate. Few 
beyond this Chamber appreciate how important it is for our two parties 
to cooperate every day amidst those disagreements to make the work of 
the Senate come to life. Though our parties have vastly different 
opinions on everything, ranging from policy to procedure, Laura has 
always represented the position of her caucus honestly and treated our 
staff with civility and respect.
  She even takes a bit of that work home with her. Her husband, Dan 
Solomon, worked for someone--Senator Wofford--who was a good, strong, 
liberal Democrat, if there ever was one.
  The Republican leader this morning gave a very personal and emotional 
tribute to Laura's service. You could see how much she means to him and 
the entire Republican caucus. I echo those sentiments, and I would 
extend them to the Senate as a whole. Few care more about this 
institution, its traditions, its history, and its future than Laura 
Dove, and few have worked harder to support the Senate in their 
careers.
  Robert Duncan, Laura's assistant, will be taking her place today. He 
has big shoes to fill but is a really talented guy who knows how this 
place works. All I can tell you, Robert, is if you listen to Gary 
Myrick, you can't go wrong.
  Laura, we wish you nothing but the best for the next chapter of your 
life, and we thank you profoundly for your service to the Senate.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the question is, 
Will the Senate advise and consent to the Greaves nomination?
  Mr. PAUL. I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There appears to be a sufficient second.
  The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk called the roll.
  Mr. THUNE. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator 
from Tennessee (Mr. Alexander), the Senator from Texas (Mr. Cruz), the 
Senator from Kansas (Mr. Moran), and the Senator from Georgia (Mr. 
Perdue).
  Further, if present and voting, the Senator from Tennessee (Mr. 
Alexander) would have voted ``yea'' and the Senator from Kansas (Mr. 
Moran) would have voted ``yea.''
  Mr. SCHUMER. I announce that the Senator from Maryland (Mr. Cardin), 
the Senator from Illinois (Mr. Durbin), the Senator from New Mexico 
(Mr. Heinrich), the Senator from Minnesota (Ms. Klobuchar), the Senator 
from Massachusetts (Mr. Markey), the Senator from Vermont (Mr. 
Sanders), the Senator from Hawaii (Mr. Schatz), and the Senator from 
Massachusetts (Ms. Warren) are necessarily absent.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber 
desiring to vote or to change their vote?
  The result was announced--yeas 85, nays 3, as follows:

                       [Rollcall Vote No. 62 Ex.]

                                YEAS--85

     Baldwin
     Barrasso
     Bennet
     Blackburn
     Blumenthal
     Blunt
     Boozman
     Braun
     Brown
     Burr
     Cantwell
     Capito
     Carper
     Casey
     Cassidy
     Collins
     Coons
     Cornyn
     Cortez Masto
     Cotton
     Cramer
     Crapo
     Daines
     Duckworth
     Enzi
     Ernst
     Feinstein
     Fischer
     Gardner
     Graham
     Grassley
     Hassan
     Hawley
     Hirono
     Hoeven
     Hyde-Smith
     Inhofe
     Johnson
     Jones
     Kaine
     Kennedy
     King
     Lankford
     Leahy
     Lee
     Loeffler
     Manchin
     McConnell
     McSally
     Menendez
     Merkley
     Murkowski
     Murphy
     Murray
     Paul
     Peters
     Portman
     Reed
     Risch
     Roberts
     Romney
     Rosen
     Rounds
     Rubio
     Sasse
     Schumer
     Scott (FL)
     Scott (SC)
     Shaheen
     Shelby
     Sinema
     Smith
     Stabenow
     Sullivan
     Tester
     Thune
     Tillis
     Toomey
     Udall
     Van Hollen
     Warner
     Whitehouse
     Wicker
     Wyden
     Young

                                NAYS--3

     Booker
     Gillibrand
     Harris

                             NOT VOTING--12

     Alexander
     Cardin
     Cruz
     Durbin
     Heinrich
     Klobuchar
     Markey
     Moran
     Perdue
     Sanders
     Schatz
     Warren
  The nomination was confirmed.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the motion to 
reconsider is considered made and laid upon the table and the President 
will be immediately notified of the Senate's action.
  The majority leader.

                          ____________________