[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 147 (Tuesday, September 12, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4381-S4382]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      REMEMBERING DR. SHANNON KULA

  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I rise to honor the life and legacy of Dr. 
Shannon Kula, former Senator Barbara Mikulski's chief of staff and a 
beloved member of the Maryland congressional team and Capitol Hill 
community. Shannon passed away recently after a long and heroic fight 
against breast cancer.
  As Senator Mikulski remarked, ``Her vibrant, inspirational 
personality made an impact on us all. She had such dedication, during 
those long hours--always with a smile and encouraging word. Shannon was 
a great friend, great advisor and brilliant strategist who took charge 
of making things happen all while making everyone feel good while she 
did it. She had a luminous spirit that blessed us all.''
  We all know the role that our staff plays in the work and life of the 
Senate. Shannon helped Senator Mikulski on so many of her 
accomplishments--from the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, to guaranteeing 
access to women's preventive healthcare to policies that support 
military families--Shannon was by Senator Mikulski's side. She also 
helped organize the bipartisan women Senators and played an important 
role in helping elect more women to the U.S. Senate.
  Shannon played an important role in developing and enacting policies 
that improved people's lives. She also improved the lives of those who 
had the good fortune to work with her. The friendships she developed 
with the Mikulski staff and the wider Senate community were deep and 
lasting. She led with grace and humor. She mentored younger staff. She 
set a tone of civility and kindness, even in the rough and tumble world 
of politics. She was a valued colleague to so many people and a leader 
of what we in the delegation like to call ``Team Maryland.''
  Shannon received B.A. degrees in political science and government and 
in psychology from the University of Rochester. She was the first 
person in her family to attend college. While Shannon was working in 
the Senate, she finished her master's degree and doctorate at 
Georgetown University, a truly remarkable accomplishment for anyone who 
knows the long and unpredictable hours Senate staff routinely work. 
After she left the Senate, she continued to serve, as director of the 
University of Saint Joseph's Women's Leadership Center and when she ran 
for a Congressional seat in her home State of Connecticut.
  Shannon married her college sweetheart, Dr. Ron Clark, a U.S. Marine 
who served 20 years in the Corps. Everyone who knew the couple 
recognized what an incredible team they were. She was a loving aunt who 
was very involved in the lives of her nieces and nephews, traveling the 
world with them and encouraging them through their educations and 
military service.

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  Shannon's death is a tragedy. But her life was a triumph. I join 
Senator Mikulski and so many others in our Capitol community in 
honoring her extraordinary life. May her memory be a blessing to her 
family and friends; may her life be a continuing inspiration to all 
who, like Shannon, strive to serve others.

                          ____________________