[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 206 (Thursday, December 14, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5988-S5989]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                         Tribute to Zach McCue

  Mr. BOOKER. Mr. President, I rise today for a moment of reflection 
about an extraordinary person, and I would like permission to give Zach 
McCue permission to sit next to me while I give these remarks that will 
most certainly embarrass him tremendously.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection.
  Mr. BOOKER. Thank you very, very much, Mr. President. Thank you very 
much for the fist pump, Mr. President. I know that you have a lot of 
appreciation and love for New Jersey, so this is really a New Jersey 
moment. So thank you, sir.
  I rise today with an extraordinary amount of joy but sadness, an 
extraordinary amount of pride but a sense of loss because today I get a 
chance to say a few words about my very embarrassed, longtime friend, 
member of my staff, Zach McCue.
  Now, Zach has been a member of my staff my entire time in the U.S. 
Senate. In fact, he predated me in this office because Zach worked for 
my predecessor, Senator Frank Lautenberg. So he has served in this 
institution and has served the people of New Jersey for 12 years.
  But now he is moving out to new gardens within the Garden State. Zach 
has a title in my office. He is the deputy State director, but the 
truth of the matter is, that title does little justice to the grand 
import and enormous impact of this incredible young man.
  Zach, I believe, is one of those people who is an unsung hero, who 
makes Congress work and, in so many ways, has made indelible 
contributions to New Jersey. If the highest calling of our country is 
service to it, then Zach is someone who embodies that ideal of public 
service and patriotism.
  He has worked tirelessly. He has worked indefatigably. He has worked 
relentlessly in service of our State. I know he works around the clock 
because occasionally I disturb him at some late hours.
  But the truth of the matter is, as hard as he works, he works away 
from the limelight, not capturing headlines, not sucking oxygen out of 
rooms but, in so many ways, making the difference that New Jerseyans 
feel.
  I have seen him and how he deals with people. In a time when so many 
people don't feel like they are seen or appreciated, he is somebody who 
embodies empathy and has an extraordinary ability to connect with 
others, to allow them to feel like they matter, to feel heard, and to 
so often have their issues addressed.
  And more than just being someone who is extraordinary with people, he 
has a pretty incredible mind to grasp complicated policy. He is a bit 
of a wonk. He has a flash of the nerdiness in him. But that knowledge, 
that acumen, that policy expertise, he has put to work on behalf of New 
Jerseyans.
  Now, I know that infrastructure is not the sexiest issue in America, 
but for New Jerseyans, it is vital. Over 700,000 people commute just to 
New York, and that doesn't include those who commute into Philly as 
well. And infrastructure in our State is critical, and this has been 
one of Zach's primary areas of focus. He has had extraordinary drive 
and focus that has helped to advance so much critical infrastructure 
work in our State.
  And more than this, his mastery of knowledge of other issues of 
import to New Jerseyans, from environmental justice to social justice, 
has made him such a powerful force in our State and, indeed, he has 
made me a better U.S. Senator.
  Zach is a Jersey boy. I think if there were a Mount Rushmore of New 
Jersey, he might be eligible to stand up upon that pantheon of some of 
the great Jerseyans like Bruce and Bon Jovi. He is a rock star, at 
least in our office, and a guy that grew up in Jersey. He grew up in 
Rumson, and he has raised his family with his incredibly indulgent wife 
Meg in Cranford.
  Zach joined Lautenberg's office early, right after graduating from 
Penn State, which is sort of a Western Jersey college. And after 2 
years with Senator Lautenberg, including a stint actually as his 
driver--and I hear that he was OK as a driver--Zach joined an 
environmental nonprofit in New Jersey focusing on environmental issues, 
where he worked on the issues that he still holds dear, things like 
protecting our coastal and marine resources and leaving behind a 
cleaner and healthier New Jersey environment for generations.
  And then, in 2014, he joined my office and, as a new Senator, as a 
junior Senator, he grew with my office and helped to lead our office to 
being the success we are today.
  He continues to lead on our team on issues he knows so well, from 
environmental issues so that we can make sure that we deal with the 
threat of climate change head-on; transportation and infrastructure, 
moving critical programs that, but for him, would not be seeing the 
kind of success we see today, like the Gateway project moving forward; 
and overall improvements to consumer safety and to reliability and so 
much more.
  During the earliest and darkest days of the COVID pandemic, when our 
team was working overtime to help constituents in need and doing Zoom 
call after Zoom call, working early in the morning to late at night, I 
got to see Zach's leadership in this dark time shine like a North Star.
  No. 1, he helped to hold our office together amongst the strain and 
the challenges that were on each and every one of us. He helped us to 
stay focused on our purpose. He brought humor and groundedness to the 
work. And every day, he rose with that heroic compassion and empathy 
for the challenges that New Jerseyans were facing.
  Look, this is an extraordinary institution, and very famous people 
have sat in the seats here since 1859. But the truth of this 
institution that doesn't get told often enough is that, for every great 
Senator, there are usually greater staff people who empower them in the 
mission.
  I have served in this institution for a decade, and I say, with no 
false modesty but just the truth, that I have been the Senator I am 
today because of the leadership that Zach has brought to my team each 
and every day.
  We have a calling here as Senators in this deliberative body, and 
that is to be of service, that is to rise to challenges, and that is to 
give dignity to the office and to be there for people.
  This office has been successful over these 10 years because of Zach. 
I am grateful to him. I am grateful to his family who raised him. I am 
grateful for his spouse and his children who have supported and loved 
him through his service. And most of all, I know that even though New 
Jerseyans don't know his name up and down our State, I know that our 
State is profoundly grateful.
  As Zach prepares to leave our office, the good news is, he may be 
leaving the employ of the U.S. Senate, but he is not leaving the 
service of our State. He is going on to another public service job.
  I and my team wish him the best of luck. Once you are a part of the 
Booker team, you are always part of the Booker team.
  But what excites me most is that Zach is a young guy with a heart 
full of love and a soul driven by commitment to country and to people. 
And so as great as his service was to us, I suspect that he still has 
some extraordinary great days ahead of him.
  And so it is with a lot of sadness but a lot of gratitude, it is with 
a lot of pride but a lot of just missing him already, I say from the 
Senate floor into the Senate Record, a hearty, hearty thank-you to my 
friend, to my team leader, and to a great American, Zach McCue. Thank 
you.
  No applause from the Gallery, please. That is against Senate 
regulation. Thank you very much.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Kaine). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

[[Page S5989]]

  

                          ____________________