[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 135 (Thursday, July 30, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S4630]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO ROBERT R. HOOD

  Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, on behalf of myself and Senator Reed, as 
the chair and ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, it 
is our honor to pay tribute to a great leader and senior executive of 
the Department of Defense, Mr. Robert R. Hood.
  Mr. Hood has served as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for 
Legislative Affairs from August 2017 to July 2020. As he prepares to 
leave this position to enter into the private sector, we commend him 
for his sound leadership, advice, and professional judgement on 
numerous critical issues of enduring importance to the Department of 
Defense, Congress, and this Nation.
  Mr. Hood has served our Nation for more than 18 years in various 
capacities within the Federal Government. His service to our Nation 
includes roles as a professional staff member for the House Committee 
on Science, as well as senior legislative assistant, senior policy 
advisor, and assistant to the Speaker of the House of Representatives 
for policy. Mr. Hood also served 5 years as the Director of 
Congressional Affairs for the National Nuclear Security Administration, 
a semi-autonomous agency within the Department of Energy.
  Mr. Hood previously served in the White House as special assistant to 
President George W. Bush in the Office of Legislative Affairs, 
overseeing coordination with the Senate, including the Armed Services, 
Homeland Security, Foreign Relations and Intelligence Committees. 
Before working on the White House staff, Mr. Hood served at the 
Pentagon as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for 
Legislative Affairs, where he was responsible for promoting the 
policies, strategies, and budget of the Department of Defense to the 
U.S. Congress. Mr. Hood also served as the Deputy Under Secretary of 
Defense, Comptroller, for Budget and Appropriations Affairs, working 
closely with the Appropriations Committees of the Congress.
  For the past 3 years as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for 
Legislative Affairs, Mr. Hood deftly managed and guided the 
Department's congressional relations, ensuring the preparation of key 
senior leaders for Senate confirmations, congressional hearings, and 
briefings, while simultaneously developing and leading a skilled and 
focused legislative affairs team. His leadership, knowledge, and 
personal efforts greatly contributed to one of the most successful 
legislative years in Department history, culminating with the 
establishment of the U.S. Space Force, which was signed into law on 
December 20, 2019 as part of the fiscal year 2020 NDAA.
  Mr. Hood provided significant contributions and leadership during the 
development and execution of the Secretary of Defense's Congressional 
Engagement Strategy, ensuring an integrated legislative program 
directly aligned with the National Defense Strategy. This comprehensive 
plan supported the Department's priorities, aligned legislative 
objectives to the congressional calendar, and guided the execution of 
over 4,000 congressional engagements within the Office of the Secretary 
of Defense and oversight and alignment of over 10,000 congressional 
engagements across the Department during his 3-year tenure. The 
strategic execution of these engagements directly led to the attainment 
of Department of Defense legislative priorities and resourcing at 
historic levels in the fiscal years 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 National 
Defense Authorization Acts, NDAAs, appropriations bills.
  On behalf of the Senate, we thank Robert, his wife Jennifer, and his 
children: Evan, Caroline, Megan, and Emma, for their continued 
commitment, sacrifice and contribution to this great Nation. We join 
our colleagues in wishing him future success as he transitions into the 
private sector.

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