[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 157 (Monday, September 13, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S6448]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                    Remembering Richard Kinkoff III

  Mr. RUBIO. Madam President, last weekend, we lost a truly selfless 
public servant when Richard Kinkoff III, from my office, passed away.
  He joined our office as an intern in 2013, and he literally never 
left. He kept showing up after his internship had ended until we 
finally had to hire him full time to work with us because he kept 
showing up every single day. And he kept at it because he wanted to 
serve. He wanted to serve the people of Florida. That is exactly what 
Rich did for the past 8 years in leading our team and graciously 
responding to hundreds of thousands of constituents' inquiries.
  I think it is important to note that it is tedious work, but, for 
him, it was not a formula or an exercise in checking boxes. He was 
passionate about that kind of work. He took time to listen to the 
callers who would call. He would read the emails. He sat down and 
talked to constituents, and then he worked with others on our team to 
get them answers. He believed in his work. He never let the process 
take the purpose out of the work that he did or that the team was 
doing.
  Two years ago, his work was recognized when our office received the 
Democracy Foundation's award for constituent service, an award that we 
would not have received had he not been part of our team. But for Rich, 
honestly, it wasn't about recognition; it was about service.
  It is no surprise that he took a particular interest in veterans' 
issues. He treated every constituent case with the respect it deserved, 
but he had a special passion for making sure our selfless veterans were 
not left behind or forgotten in the bureaucracy. That is the one word 
that, I think, keeps coming back as we talk in our office with the 
staff, and it keeps coming back as we have reflected on his life over 
the past week--selfless.
  Rich had a pickup truck, a big pickup truck, which made him pretty 
popular with colleagues, with friends, with friends of friends. People 
need to move, and if you have a truck, you know everybody always wants 
to borrow it. Rich being Rich, he was always there for them. If your 
car broke down, Rich was there. If you were an intern in need of career 
advice, Rich was there. If you needed a ride from the airport, Rich was 
there. He would even pull himself away from a Tampa Bay Lightning game 
to lend a helping hand.
  Now, look. I have no doubt that Rich would be embarrassed by all of 
this because it was never about him or for him.
  In a letter to the Christian church in Philippi, Paul and Timothy 
wrote:

       Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, 
     in humility, value others above yourselves.

  Those who knew him can say that Rich answered that call time and 
again.
  And now, for reasons that we cannot explain or know or understand, he 
has answered a different call, but I do know that we are all better for 
knowing him, and so are countless others who never knew his name. He 
was selfless. He was noble. He was a decent man. And as we honor and 
celebrate his life, let us hope to follow in his example in all that we 
do here.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New Jersey.
  Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, first, I ask unanimous consent that I 
be permitted to complete my remarks before the scheduled 5:30 p.m. 
vote.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.