[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 172 (Friday, October 2, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E926-E927]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          FAREWELL LETTER FROM U.S. REP. TOM GRAVES (R-GA-14)

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM GRAVES

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 2, 2020

  Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Madam Speaker, when I was young, my Dad always 
used to tell me that if I dreamed big and worked hard, I would achieve 
much. Dream Big, Work Hard, Achieve Much. I have carried that advice 
with me my entire life. Those words fueled my ability to go from the 
hall of a single-wide trailer to the halls of Congress.
  I write that today as I reflect on what makes America so special: the 
ability to chart your own course and achieve any dream. My heart is 
filled with gratitude for our country and the enduring experiment of 
democracy that has allowed someone like me to end up in the U.S. House 
of Representatives for the past decade.
  Serving as the Representative of Georgia's 9th and 14th districts has 
truly been the honor of my life. This privilege was made possible by 
the sacrifice and support of so many wonderful people. First and 
foremost, my parents ``Big Tom'' and Penny; my wife, Julie; my 
children, Josephine, John, and Janey. My family has supported me every 
step of the way on this path of public service. My wife and children 
bore a burden that often goes unrecognized in politics. There are many 
precious days of life that we spent apart. Knowing their sacrifice 
motivated me every day to do the very best I could. Now it's time to 
shift the focus to them, and support their journeys and dreams, just as 
they supported mine.
  For my final words entered into the Congressional Record as a member 
of Congress, I want to share the most essential lesson learned over the 
past decade: the importance of relationship building. Tone, rhetoric 
and civility are crucial to opening doors to new and unexpected 
relationships with lawmakers from across the political spectrum. Often 
the best policies are the product of broad perspectives and creativity, 
with input from people who bring experience from different walks of 
life.
  I can think of no better embodiment of that ideal than the Select 
Committee on the Modernization of Congress. Committee members hail from 
opposite sides of the country, with different professional backgrounds 
and life experiences. Regardless of our political and personal 
differences, our commitment to those we serve--our constituents--came 
first. The way our committee operated should serve as a model for this 
institution. Our bipartisan collaboration resulted in 97 
recommendations to make the legislative branch work better. I hope that 
this work continues, because the American people deserve an institution 
that is as forward thinking and innovative as they are. Bipartisan 
relationships are at the heart of anything that can become law, and the 
American people are far better off when we connect over shared goals 
and work together to accomplish them.
  Serving on the Select Committee is the perfect capstone to my career 
in public service. I am grateful to my partner, Chair Derek Kilmer of 
Washington, for his outstanding leadership. Nothing the committee 
produced would have been possible without Chair Kilmer's bipartisan 
approach and boundless passion for our work. I am also grateful to 
Leader Kevin McCarthy of California for appointing me Vice Chair of the 
committee. It was truly an honor to be chosen from the pool of talented 
members I serve alongside.
  I am also filled with gratitude for my staff, who have delivered 
incredible service to my constituents and the country. These are people 
with a heart for public service, who truly care for our nation. I saw 
tremendous sacrifices made: long hours, late nights, the burden of 
stress and pressure that comes with the weight of the work, whether it 
was securing life-saving veterans benefits for one person or passing a 
policy that affects millions of Americans. My team carried themselves 
in such a way that it was clear they knew the honor and privilege of 
working for the U.S. House.
  In my tenure, I had two chiefs of staff: Tim Baker and John Patrick 
Donnelly, They led our

[[Page E927]]

teams in Washington and Georgia, which included the following people:
  My current staff, Bud Whitmire, Jason Murphy, Sam Mahler, Danielle 
Stewart, Ryan Diffley, Kristin Fillingim, Rachel Black, Max Berry, 
Diane Menorca, Tracey Bartley, Valerie Jones, Ashley Langston, Travis 
Loudermilk, Linda Liles and Jackie Mooney.
  My former staff, Josh Finestone, Jason Lawrence, Bo Butler, Drew 
Ferguson, Garrett Hawkins, Shivani Vakharia, Rebecca Anderson, Morgan 
Joyce, Maggie Newton, Kate Bell, Ansley Rhyne, Alicia Stafford, Matt 
Hodge, Paige Davies and Ericka Pertierra.
  Appropriations and Modernization Committee staff, John Martens, Jake 
Olson, Tim Monahan, Jenny Holmes, Dena Baron, Marybeth Nassif, Kelly 
Hitchcock, Ariana Sarar, Amy Catherine Murphy, Brad Allen, Allie Neill, 
Shalanda Young and Lisa Molyneux.
  These are just some of the many extraordinary people who contributed 
to our work over the years.
  Now, it is time for the next season in life. I will be forever 
grateful for the incredible privilege of serving my country and my 
community as a member of Congress.
  May God bless every person in this institution, those serving now and 
those who serve in the years to come, with the wisdom, strength and 
compassion to advance this great and glorious cause we call the United 
States of America.
  God bless America, and God bless Georgia. Go Dawgs.