[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 163 (Monday, September 21, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S5728]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                    Tribute to Erica Knievel Songer

  Mr. President, I have one other purpose in coming to the floor today, 
and that is to recognize my colleague, my friend Erica Knievel Songer, 
my chief counsel--whom I now embarrass--who is departing this week.
  Erica is an immensely talented lawyer and has been an invaluable 
member of my team for over 4 years, a summa graduate of the University 
of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a Phi Beta Kappa member, a cum laude 
graduate of Harvard Law School, a deputy editor of the Journal of Law 
and Gender, and a clerk on the Sixth Circuit for Judge Cornelia 
Kennedy.
  After all that, she went to one of Washington's most prestigious law 
firms and, after 9 years of diligent litigation and work, earned her 
way into being a partner but, during all this time, dedicated her time 
to pro bono work, to advocating for those seeking justice.
  She could have had a much more lucrative career than the last 4 years 
here in the Senate, and her trajectory was not a typical one for a 
chief counsel on a Judiciary Committee. She was willing to make the 
sacrifice, and I was grateful for the chance to serve with her.
  Her dedication to upholding and defending democratic principles is 
unwavering, and every day she has put the interests of the American 
people and Delawareans first. No one has worked harder in her 4 years 
on my team than she.
  Her commitment to our shared values has helped guide me and my team 
through some of the most difficult and challenging moments of these 
years. She has capably led my entire legal team and helped us navigate 
through some truly historic fights.
  It was just 3 days after she joined my team that we were in the Rose 
Garden for President Obama's nomination of Judge Merrick Garland, and 
she led my team and my work on the confirmation hearings of now-Justice 
Gorsuch and Justice Kavanaugh. She led us through the Mueller 
investigation and through the impeachment trial.
  She has been integral to legislative efforts, including the Special 
Counsel Integrity Act, a bipartisan effort to support the integrity of 
independent investigations and to protect the Mueller investigation; 
the Driving for Opportunity Act, a bipartisan bill to create incentives 
to stop debt-based driver's license suspension and extend criminal 
justice reform; and a project for which we both have a particular 
passion, the NO BAN Act, which would repeal President Trump's Executive 
order blocking travel from majority-Muslim countries and prevent 
another baseless, discriminatory travel ban.
  She has contributed so much more than this. She has been a teacher 
and mentor to so many in my office and, particularly, to young women, 
who look to her as a role model and a source of wisdom and strength. 
Personally, she and her husband Mike, both dedicated attorneys and 
passionate public servants, are constant reminders of why we are here 
and for whom we fight.
  As we reflect today and in the week ahead on the legacy of Justice 
Ginsburg, whose life was committed to the fight for equality and 
justice, I see that same fight in Erica Songer. Justice Ginsburg blazed 
a trail and changed the world for incredibly talented and capable women 
like Erica so that she could lead the life she has.
  Erica is a true patriot, a great colleague, and a wonderful friend 
who has put country over self, and I have been blessed to have the 
benefit of her counsel and her friendship these 4 years. I am proud she 
will go on to continue to fight for our shared values. I wish her luck. 
I will miss her dearly, and I pray this is not the last time we will 
serve together.
  I yield the floor.