[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 197 (Friday, November 12, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1225]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING MONALISA DUGUE AND HER SERVICE TO THE HOUSE JUDICIARY 
                               COMMITTEE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JERROLD NADLER

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 12, 2021

  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I rise, along with my colleague, 
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Chair of the Subcommittee on Crime, 
Terrorism, and Homeland Security, to thank Monalisa Dugue for her 
nearly five years of service to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  Monalisa came to the Committee after spending more than a decade with 
the Public Defender's office in Chicago and several years working for 
non-profits and as a consultant. Before starting her career, Monalisa 
received her B.A. from DePaul University and her J.D. from Valparaiso 
University School of Law.
  Monalisa joined the Committee in 2017, as Deputy Chief Counsel of our 
Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security. Since then, 
she has played an indispensable role in working to reform our criminal 
justice system.
  As Deputy Chief Counsel, Monalisa worked on a broad range of issues, 
including criminal justice reform, juvenile justice reform, and Tribal 
justice--including addressing the crisis of missing and murdered 
indigenous women. Monalisa has been instrumental in the House's work to 
reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, to pass the George Floyd 
Justice in Policing Act, to enact the First Step Act, and to fund 
evidence-informed strategies to reduce community violence and fund 
community violence intervention programs that address the cycles of 
violence in communities.
  Monalisa's work in the committee has had a lasting impact on the 
American people. She has played a key role in passing numerous bills 
into law, some of which include the VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime 
Victims Fund Act, the Not Invisible Act, Savanna's Act, the Debbie 
Smith Reauthorization Act, the Commission on the Social Status of Black 
Men and Boys Act, and the Strengthening the Opposition to Female 
Genital Mutilation (STOP FGM) Act.
  Throughout all of her work, Monalisa brought her commitment to 
justice and equity and her tireless work ethic. Our committee, 
Congress, and the American people greatly benefited from her wisdom, 
experience, and contributions. Our country is a better place because of 
the mark Monalisa has left on it.
  While we will miss Monalisa greatly, we are glad she is not going 
far, as she will be continuing her public service career as Chief of 
Staff to Senator Whitehouse.
  We thank Monalisa for her service to the Committee and wish her the 
best of luck with this new chapter.

                          ____________________