[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 127 (Tuesday, July 20, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E784-E785]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING STEPHEN KLEIN FOR NEARLY 30 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE STATE 
                               OF VERMONT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. PETER WELCH

                               of vermont

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 20, 2021

  Mr. WELCH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate and honor my 
friend Stephen Klein, who is retiring from his job as Chief Fiscal 
Officer to the Vermont State Legislature. Stephen joined the staff of 
the Vermont Legislature in 1992 as a Fiscal Analyst and, in

[[Page E785]]

1993, was appointed Chief Fiscal Officer. The nonpartisan Joint Fiscal 
Office provides fiscal analysis, budget evaluation, performance 
oversight and fiscal policy support for the Appropriations, Finance, 
Ways & Means and Tax Committees and for the Vermont Legislature as a 
whole. In his capacity as Chief Fiscal Officer, Stephen has directed 
the budget and tax staff for the Vermont House and Senate for the past 
28 years.
  With rapid fire speech, Stephen has educated generations of Vermont 
legislators on the complexities of the Vermont budget process. As 
President Pro Tempore of the Vermont Senate, I had the pleasure of 
working with Stephen to craft budgets for the State of Vermont and, 
like many before and after me, marveled at his intricate knowledge of 
Vermont state government, tax policy, the budget, and the economy. 
Stephen has gained the trust of legislators through his facility with 
his subject matter and his generous willingness to explain it.
  Stephen's contributions have extended beyond Vermont. He served as 
president of the National Association of Legislative Fiscal Offices in 
1998 to 1999 and was a member of National Conference of State 
Legislatures' Executive Committee from 2002 to 2005. From 2009 to 2017, 
Stephen served on the Advisory Board of the New England Public Policy 
Center at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, providing advice on 
research content and direction to policy makers in the New England 
region. From 2014 to 2017 Stephen served on the Government Accounting 
Standards Advisory Committee.
  In 2013, Stephen was the recipient of the Steven D. Gold Award, given 
annually by the National Tax Association, the Association for Public 
Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM), and the National Conference of 
State Legislatures (NCSL). The 2013 award was presented by the NCSL. 
The award honors professionals who have made significant contributions 
to state and local fiscal policy.
  In addition to his professional commitments, Stephen has volunteered 
tirelessly in his community, serving on the board of the local food 
cooperative in Montpelier, as Treasurer of the Green Mountain Club, and 
as Treasurer for the local synagogue. Stephen also serves as a guest 
lecturer at the Vermont Law School.
  Mr. Klein attended the University of California, Berkeley; 
Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and Northeastern University 
School of Law. He served in the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic 
and Honduras in the early 1970s.
  Stephen's friendly demeanor, sage observations and ubiquitous 
presence have made him a well-known and welcome fixture under the 
Golden Dome. He will be greatly missed. I wish him all the best in his 
retirement and look forward to seeing him out on Vermont's hiking 
trails.

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