[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 195 (Thursday, December 15, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1310]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING THE SERVICE AND DEDICATION OF THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF OF THE 
                 SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE CLIMATE CRISIS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. KATHY CASTOR

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 15, 2022

  Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Madam Speaker, today I rise to recognize the 
service and dedication of the majority professional staff of the Select 
Committee of the Climate Crisis. As any Member of Congress knows, the 
unsung heroes are those working behind the scenes. With little fanfare 
and recognition, the long hours and personal sacrifices our staff makes 
are indispensable to the success of a Member or committee.
  For the last 4 years, I have had the distinct pleasure to serve as 
Chair for this Select Committee. During this time, I have been 
fortunate to have worked with so many talented individuals.
  Our professional staff comes from all backgrounds, spanning the gamut 
of personal and professional experiences. This staff banded together as 
a team, and their record of success speaks for itself.
  From Day 1, this team took to heart the words of Speaker Nancy 
Pelosi, that this Select Committee was not just an academic exercise 
but intended to deliver a roadmap of real policy achievements to tackle 
the challenge of a generation. Behind the scenes, the Select Committee 
staff built bridges to work closely with the incredible staffs of all 
the standing committees in the Congress, they reached across the 
spectrum of outside groups and advisors to foster new partnerships and 
forge compromise, while keeping our goals at the forefront of policy. 
In many ways the team served as a climate think tank for House 
Democrats, identifying ``Climate Wins'' and expanding the understanding 
of the climate crisis in all areas of policy and legislation.
  As a result of their tireless work, the majority staff released a 
groundbreaking 2020 Climate Crisis Action Plan that has been called the 
most comprehensive climate policy plan ever in U.S. politics, which 
included a suite of 715 policy recommendations. And just this month, at 
the end of our tenure, the staff released a new report, Solving the 
Climate Crisis 2022: Key Accomplishments and Additional Opportunities. 
This 2nd report outlines the enormous record of success and progress, 
noting the more than 300 recommendations from 2020 that are now 
codified into federal law, the 430 plus that have passed the House 
under Speaker Pelosi's leadership, and outlining the necessary steps 
forward in future years for the Congress to continue to tackle the 
climate crisis.
  The staff always had as its compass that solving the climate crisis 
must be guided by science, rooted in justice, and powered by American 
workers. Undoubtedly their work will help make communities more 
resilient to the impacts of the climate crisis, create good-paying 
local jobs, slash energy bills, uplift disadvantaged communities, and 
position America to lead the emerging clean economy.
  I would like to take a moment to specifically recognize our majority 
staff director, Dr. Ana Unruh Cohen. Over the better part of the last 
20 years, Ana has dedicated her work in the Congress to tackling the 
climate crisis, both in the House and Senate. Her deep knowledge of 
policy, collaborative spirit, and sharp political awareness was 
critical to the Select Committee's effectiveness and success. Her 
tireless leadership is an inspiration for us all.
  I would also like to recognize all our staffers, past and present, 
during the 116th and 117th Congresses:
  Alison L. Cassady, Deputy Staff Director.
  Eric S. Fins, Deputy Staff Director.
  Fatima Maria Ahmad, Senior Counsel.
  Loyle Campbell, Rosenthal International Relations Fellow.
  Grace Chan, Professional Staff.
  Sydney Devitt, Digital Assistant.
  Ebadullah Ebadi, Policy Assistant.
  Melvin Felix, Communications Director.
  Javier Gamboa, Senior Professional Staff.
  Dana Gansman, Clerk and Director of Operations.
  Jacob Hicks, Digital Director.
  Aaron Huertas, Communications Director.
  Rebecca Jablonski-Diehl, Senior Professional Staff.
  Mackenzie L. Landa, Counsel.
  Jakob Lindaas, Ph.D., Professional Staff.
  Raleigh L. Martin, Ph.D., AGI/AAAS Congressional Science Fellow.
  Samantha A. Medlock, CFM, Senior Counsel.
  Mariah A. Morrison, Digital Production Specialist.
  Sebastian Pons, Staff Assistant.
  Zachary D. Pritchard, Ph.D., ASME Congressional Science & Engineering 
Fellow.
  Abigail Regitsky, Ph.D., Professional Staff.
  Rachel St. Louis, Operations and Press Assistant.
  In addition, the Select Committee benefited from the support and 
wisdom of Kenneth Russell DeGraff, Senior Policy Advisor to Speaker 
Pelosi.
  Thank you is not enough. These staffers have heeded the call to 
service, and for that I, and the American people, are eternally 
grateful. As this Select Committee comes to a close and the staff turns 
to their next chapter, I have no doubt they will continue to work every 
day to make a difference and be successful in whatever they turn to 
next.

                          ____________________