[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 195 (Thursday, December 15, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1301]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





       HONORING THE CONTINUED SERVICE OF LIEUTENANT LOGAN O'SHEA

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOE COURTNEY

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 15, 2022

  Mr. COURTNEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 
contributions of Lieutenant Logan O'Shea, United States Navy, during 
his service as a legislative fellow in my Washington, DC office this 
year. Throughout 2022, Logan has played a critical role in supporting 
my work on the House Armed Services Committee and representing the 
proud Navy community in Eastern Connecticut.
  As Chairman of the House Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, 
which has the solemn, critical duty of overseeing much of our nation's 
Navy, Marine Corps, and various Air Force programs and policies. Year 
in, and year out, the Department of Defense's legislative fellowship 
program brings highly talented junior officers to Capitol Hill that 
provide invaluable benefits to Members of the House and Senate to the 
defense committees. Officers, like Logan, bring real-world experience 
from their time in the classroom at the various academies and 
experiences from their time serving on active duty. This year, as our 
subcommittee once again considered our approach to critical 
shipbuilding programs, shipbuilding industrial base development, and 
Navy and Marine Corps readiness through the Fiscal Year 2023 National 
Defense Authorization Act, Logan provided exquisite judgement in 
navigating the landscape of crafting such a large and critical piece of 
legislation.
  Logan has also seized initiative in a variety of areas beyond naval 
affairs that benefit Eastern Connecticut. He worked tirelessly to 
provide insight in our Navy's planned shipbuilding programs, 
communicated with leadership at Naval Submarine New London to improve 
the quality of life on base, and drafted policy to examine how we can 
better improve the lives of our Navy civilian workers on various 
installations. He also served as the staff lead for the Friends of 
Australia Caucus and the AUKUS Working Group, both of which I serve as 
co-chair, ensuring that the ties between our countries remain as strong 
as ever. This is of special importance as our two nations continue to 
develop key priorities in support of the AUKUS security agreement to 
ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific. Logan's work to coordinate with 
the Executive Branch, other Members of Congress, and the Australian and 
British Embassies has facilitated new partnerships in support of our 
shared principles. In particular, he participated in drafting H.R. 
8073, a bill establishing a joint training pipeline between the U.S. 
Navy and the Royal Australian Navy to enable the AUKUS effort to create 
a nuclear-powered submarine force. This bill was later adopted as part 
of the Fiscal Year 2023 NDAA.
  Logan's work ethic, diligence, intelligence, and first-hand 
experience as a Nuclear Surface Warfare Officer made an immediate 
benefit and memorable impact on my office and subcommittee staff. After 
traveling across the world with tenures on the USS Carney (DDG 64) and 
USS Nimitz (CVN 68), I am thankful for his family's tremendous 
sacrifice to our nation and for landing in Washington for the current 
phase of their life. Though Logan's presence will be deeply missed by 
both my personal staff and Seapower staff, I know full-well that he 
will make his presence known as he heads to the Surface Warfare Officer 
Department Head Course at Naval Station Newport in Rhode Island.
  Madam Speaker, as has also been the case for each of his predecessors 
that my office has had the opportunity to host, I have benefited 
greatly from Logan's training and background. This recurring process 
that the fellowship program fosters, strengthens civilian-military 
understanding for future leaders of the greatest military in the world, 
which I believe is a necessary component of a strong democracy. Our 
nation is best served at sea and here onshore by officers and leaders 
of the highest caliber like Logan. He embodies such qualities and has a 
promising career ahead in continued service to our Nation, and we owe 
him such gratitude. To that end, I ask that the House join me in 
wishing LT Logan O'Shea, his spouse Megan, and their dog Murphy, the 
best of luck in their next life chapter, particularly as they welcome 
their first born into the world.

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