[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 203 (Friday, December 30, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1363]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           HONORING COURTNEY STEVENS' SERVICE TO MISSISSIPPI

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. STEVEN M. PALAZZO

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, December 30, 2022

  Mr. PALAZZO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize my Chief of 
Staff, Courtney Stevens. Courtney joined my legislative staff in 
Washington, D.C. in 2019. She was hired as a Senior Legislative 
Assistant and immediately displayed her aptitude with the 
Appropriations process and delivering district wins, resulting in a 
promotion to Legislative Director. In addition to her legislative 
portfolio, Courtney took on managing staff and running the day-to-day 
of the D.C. office and earned a promotion to Deputy Chief of Staff at 
the beginning of 2022. A few months later, I was glad to name her my 
Chief of Staff, given her commitment to my office, Mississippi, and 
public service.
  Courtney is a native of Northern Virginia. She graduated from James 
Madison University, earning a Bachelor of Business Administration in 
Marketing and a European Studies minor from the University of Antwerp. 
After college graduation, she knew her major wasn't her passion and 
leaned on her favorite experience--a Capitol Hill internship she did 
for two summers in high school for Congressman Pete Sessions.
  Courtney's career on the Hill started with an offer to join the 
Senate Appropriations Committee under the Leadership of the late 
Senator Thad Cochran, the senior Senator from Mississippi. During her 
time there, she built relationships and absorbed information from the 
pillars of the Committee. Courtney did what was needed, from planning 
Committee Christmas parties to working on both the Legislative Branch 
and Labor, Health and Human Services subcommittees.
  During the 114th Congress, the Committee Staff Director nominated 
Courtney for the Emerging Congressional Staff Leadership Program 
through the Stennis Center for Public Service Leadership. Additionally, 
she was selected to participate in educational programs through the 
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and the MIT Security 
Studies program. The House Office of lnterparliamentary Affairs chose 
her to join the 2022 Congress-Bundestag/Bundesrat Staff Exchange. And 
most recently, Courtney was nominated and then picked by Republican 
Leadership to join the first-ever Level Up--Future Chiefs of Staff 
course created by Republican House Leadership.
  Courtney's diverse professional experience has been key to my success 
as she supported me and my Appropriations subcommittee assignments. She 
took on an array of district issues, such as working with USACE during 
the extended opening of the Bonnet Carre Spillway and ensuring NASA 
continued its commitment to Stennis Space Center with the ``Green Run'' 
test for SLS. She learned about the U.S. Coast Guard's missions, the 
situation at the southwest border, and how to work with NOAA and state 
agencies to extend red snapper season for the Gulf Coast. Courtney 
sorted through and prioritized my office's community-funded project 
submissions, which resulted in $32.2 million in direct funds for 
projects across South Mississippi in fiscal year 2022 and $22.2 million 
in fiscal year 2023.
  While Courtney prepares for the next steps of her career on the House 
Appropriations Committee, it is my honor to recognize her public 
service to the Fourth Congressional District and all Mississippi 
constituents. I wish Courtney the very best.

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