[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 86 (Thursday, May 7, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S2322]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO KIMBERLY BIERLY

  Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, today I wish to honor Kimberly ``Kim'' 
Bierly, who will retire this month after 13 years of service to the 
U.S. Senate. For as long as I have been in the Senate, Kim has served 
as my regional manager for the North Central Region of Pennsylvania.
  Born and raised in Lock Haven, Kim gained a wealth of professional 
experience prior to her Senate service. A student of journalism, Kim 
graduated from Rider College before becoming a reporter for the Lock 
Haven Express. She later served as the national marketing director for 
Penn State University and worked in private sector marketing, before 
lending her time and talents to my 2006 Senate campaign. Following our 
victory that year, Kim began her Senate service when I asked her to 
join my State staff in 2007.
  Over the course of these many years, Kim has tirelessly championed 
the concerns of rural constituents and worked to ensure that their 
needs were always addressed in my work. She answered thousands of phone 
calls, attended hundreds of constituent meeting and traveled far and 
wide across many, many miles to meet people in their own towns. She 
worked hard to present the views of our State's farming community and 
conducted me around all my engagements and events throughout the 
region. It is often said that Kim ``knows everyone in Central 
Pennsylvania,'' and I can testify that that is true.
  Kim has a heart of gold, and she has always watched over all of her 
colleagues as a kind of ``Mother Hen,'' sending along a kind word of 
encouragement, placing a personal call, and helping everyone who is in 
need. As a proud cancer survivor, she proudly ministers to other 
patients and believes in giving back in return for the many kindnesses 
bestowed on her during her illness.
  For all of her professional accomplishments, Kim has many hobbies and 
personal pursuits. She is an accomplished knitter--socks are her 
favorite--who owned her own small business in Centre County for several 
years called ``Main Street Yarn.'' She is also an animal lover who 
spent 10 years leading a volunteer golden retriever rescue organization 
in her free time that saved over 800 dogs. While she misses her goldens 
``Timber'' and ``Teddy'' every day, she loves to show off pictures of 
her dog, ``Charlie,'' and her cat, ``Caddy.'' They are her family.
  My most enduring memories of Kim are our annual attempts to procure 
donuts and milkshakes at the Pennsylvania Farm Show and snacking on the 
wonderful chocolate chip cookies she would bake for the whole team 
during our staff retreats. Her departure leaves big shoes to fill, but 
I wish her well as she and her husband, Keith, move on to this next 
adventure in their lives.
  Congratulations, Kim, for a job well done. I am grateful for your 
service to the country and the Commonwealth, and I wish you the best of 
luck in your retirement. We will miss you.

                          ____________________