[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 125 (Friday, July 16, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E764-E765]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  THANKING THE OFFICE OF EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE TEAM FOR THEIR DEDICATED 
          SERVICE FOLLOWING THE JANUARY 6, 2021 CAPITOL ATTACK

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ZOE LOFGREN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 16, 2021

  Ms. LOFGREN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and thank the 
immediate and extended staff of the Office of Employee Assistance (OEA) 
at the United States

[[Page E765]]

House of Representatives for their tireless service to the House, the 
United States Capitol Police, and Congressional Budget Office following 
the violent attack on our Capitol on January 6, 2021.
  Through exemplary dedication, passion, and commitment to their 
profession, the team has developed the OEA into a preeminent employee 
assistance program over three decades, delivering comprehensive 
confidential services covering an array of personal and work-related 
issues to positively impact employee performance, productivity, and 
well-being.
  The team's commitment and care has offered comfort and coping tools 
to those experiencing profound grief and distress after the January 6, 
2021 attack on the Capitol. These services included one-to-one crisis 
consultation, confidential counseling, debriefings on trauma and 
resilience, discussion group facilitation, and the development and 
dissemination of self-help material containing practical strategies to 
promote recovery.
  Additionally, the OEA promptly secured and coordinated additional 
counseling assets for their appointment-based services as well as for 
the ongoing, around-the-clock crisis support efforts that would remain 
available to Capitol Police personnel in the weeks and months that 
followed.
  Through in-person, telephonic, and video meetings and seminars, the 
OEA interacted with thousands of employees and family members in the 
first half of 2021 alone, far surpassing past utilization trends. 
Employee engagement in all their services has been unprecedented--as 
have been the needs--yet the staff of the OEA has never flinched.
  The dedicated team provided impactful work not only through an 
extraordinary volume of interactions with individuals, but through 
regular training and briefing facilitation across the House, on-call 
responses after-hours, and ongoing efforts to promote the services 
throughout the House and the Capitol Police communities. All the while, 
the team maintained the resolve and perspective to effectively help 
others while processing their own attack-and-pandemic-related concerns 
as employees of this institution.
  Madam Speaker, I am pleased to acknowledge the entire Office of 
Employee Assistance and Well-Being teams who served throughout this 
tremendous support effort: Tiara Anderson, Breanna Becker, Briana 
Cragwell, Georgeanna Goldstein, Margot Hawkins-Green, Rhonda Kaalund, 
Malia Klee, Liz McBride, Jon Murphy, Emily Swartz, Paul Tewksbury, and 
Brian Weiss. Also worthy of our thanks are the contracted counseling 
partners. These special groups of professionals should all be commended 
for their commitment, dedication, and professionalism during a time of 
great need.
  Madam Speaker, it is my distinct honor to recognize and thank the 
Office of Employee Assistance for their extraordinary and unwavering 
service to this institution.

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