[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 125 (Friday, July 16, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E761]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO DENA BARON

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KAY GRANGER

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 16, 2021

  Ms. GRANGER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dena Baron, a 
long-time member of the professional staff of the House Appropriations 
Committee, who is retiring after more than 25 years of service in the 
Federal Government.
  Dena began her career at the Environmental Protection Agency in 1995. 
While a budget analyst at the Environmental Protection Agency, she was 
detailed to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs 
and Housing and Urban Development.
  Following her detail, in 1999, Dena became professional staff for the 
House Appropriations Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs and Housing and 
Urban Development. In 2004, she moved to the House Appropriations 
Subcommittee on Transportation and Treasury until the House 
Appropriations Committee reorganized in the 109th Congress. Following 
the reorganization, Dena became Clerk for the House Appropriations 
Subcommittee on Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban 
Development, the Judiciary, and the District of Columbia.
  When the House of Representatives switched control in 2007, and the 
House Appropriations Committee underwent another reorganization setting 
the subcommittees to their current form, Dena became Minority Clerk for 
the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Subcommittee. 
Continuing her trend of versatility, Dena simultaneously worked on the 
Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Financial Services and 
General Government subcommittees.
  When the Republicans took control of the House of Representatives in 
the 112th Congress, Dena became Clerk for the House Appropriations 
Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and then 
in 2017, she became Clerk for the House Appropriations Subcommittee on 
Financial Services and General Government.
  When the House of Representatives switched control in 2019, as only 
fitting, Dena ventured into uncharted territory and became Minority 
Clerk for the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security. 
This opportunity presented a range of new challenges, and she, once 
again, demonstrated her ability to handle any task put before her and 
performed remarkably.
  Dena was an exceptional member of the Appropriations Committee staff 
for more than twenty years, and she served on my staff for three of 
those years. I asked Dena to work on some of the most divisive issues 
of the day, and she saw us through one of the longest government 
shutdowns in history two years ago by finding common ground with her 
colleagues.
  Dena has spent many hours away from her loved ones over the course of 
her long Federal career, and I know she is looking forward to spending 
more time with her husband, Jim Smith, her son, Andrew, and her 
daughter, Emily. Dena will be greatly missed, and I wish her the best 
in her next chapter and thank her for her dedicated service to the 
United States.

                          ____________________