[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 84 (Tuesday, May 17, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S2542]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        REMEMBERING MARK SWEENEY

 Mr. TESTER. Madam President, I would like to share a few words 
today to honor an outstanding leader and friend of mine who recently 
passed away.
  Mark Sweeney was a State senator for Montana's 39th District and a 
candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives. Mark was the face of 
public service in Montana, with an unyielding commitment to make our 
State better for all of our kids and grandkids.
  Born in Butte, raised in Miles City, and a longtime resident of 
Anaconda, Mark was a Montanan through and through. Mark worked for 
Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks for 32 years until he retired as a 
fisheries manager.
  He started his political career as a commissioner in Anaconda-Deer 
Lodge and later successfully ran for a seat in Montana's State 
Legislature as a representative. He was elected to the State senate in 
2020.
  During his career, Mark was a tireless advocate for public lands and 
public access, working with sportsmen and women around Montana to 
protect our greatest treasures for future generations. When Mark talked 
about running for office, he focused on how he would improve the lives 
of his fellow citizens, and he worked with anyone and everyone, 
regardless of whether they agreed or disagreed with him.
  Mark was a fierce advocate for working families across Montana. He 
believed in the power of public education to lift folks up and 
prioritized the creation of good-paying jobs, especially for young 
people, that would keep them living and working in Montana.
  Mark was an effective policy-maker who made it a priority to balance 
conservation and responsible development in our communities. Mark's 
lifelong commitment to bettering our State and preserving our public 
lands for generations wasn't something he preached; it was something he 
lived every day.
  I want to express my deepest sympathy to Mark's wife, Sue, his 
children, Shannon and Jordan, stepchildren, Carly and Brandi Johnson, 
and grandchildren, Wes and Brooks, as well as the rest of the Sweeney 
family. Those who knew Mark will remember him as not only a dedicated 
public servant, but as a family man and a dear friend. His friendly 
demeanor and sense of humor will be sorely missed.
  Mark has left a lasting legacy on us all, but especially his family 
and friends, his colleagues in the State legislature, and those he 
represented in the State of Montana. He will not be forgotten.

                          ____________________