[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 131 (Friday, July 24, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E681]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       RECOGNIZING BRET BAIER COMMITMENT TO SERVICE IN JOURNALISM

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                           HON. MICHAEL WALTZ

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 24, 2020

  Mr. WALTZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the service and 
career of news anchor Bret Baier as he celebrates his 50th birthday. 
Mr. Baier has dedicated many years to hard-hitting journalism and 
pursuit of conveying hard truths to the American people, often putting 
his own life on the line in warzones to do so. His informative 
journalism and steadfast moral compass embody the principles of a true 
servant leader.
  Bret Baier earned his bachelor's degree in Political Science and 
English from DePauw University in 1992. He made his way into the 
television scene by working for several news stations from Raleigh, 
North Carolina, to Rockford, Illinois and Beaufort, South Carolina 
before sending his audition tape to Fox News in 1998 and serving as the 
Atlanta bureau's first reporter.
  When our nation was attacked on September 11, 2001, Bret didn't shy 
away from danger. He drove all the way to Arlington, Virginia to cover 
the attack on the Pentagon. The reporting he did during this time 
landed him a job as the Pentagon correspondent, covering key national 
security, intelligence, military, and foreign policy issues. In 5 years 
time, he covered some of the nation's most impactful national security 
events, including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He again did not 
shy away from danger, reporting from Iraq 12 times and Afghanistan 13 
times. Baier has interviewed President Donald Trump, Vice President 
Mike Pence, former President Barack Obama, former President George W. 
Bush and former Vice President Dick Cheney, traveling with these 
administrations and top military officials to report in 74 countries.
  In 2006, he served as the chief White House correspondent, covering 
the second term of the Bush administration. He has since covered the 
political cycles of the 2012 and 2016 elections, moderating five 
Republican primary debates in 2012 and anchoring three GOP debates for 
Fox News in the 2016 cycle. Bret currently is Fox News Channel's Chief 
Political Anchor and the anchor of his own show, ``Special Report with 
Bret Baier.'' It is worth noting that Special Report is the top-rated 
cable news program in its timeslot and consistently one of the top five 
shows in cable news.
  In a world defined by political division, Baier is known and 
respected as a straight shooter. His accolades include the 2016 Kenneth 
Y. Tomlinson Award for Outstanding Journalism by the Robert Novak 
Journalism Fellowship Program, the 2017 Sol Taishoff Award for 
Excellence in Broadcast Journalism by the National Press Foundation, 
and the 2018 Urbino Press Award by the Municipality of Urbino. He is a 
New York Times bestselling author, a loving father to his two sons 
Daniel and Paul, and a devoted husband to his wife Amy.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the 
career and lifelong servant leadership of Bret Baier. It is with great 
pride that we thank him for his service and wish him continued health 
and happiness with his friends, family, and loved ones. We hope his 
50th birthday is filled with joy, love, and peace. Here's to many more.

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