[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 75 (Wednesday, May 1, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E425]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    RECOGNIZING DR. BENJAMIN TALUS AND HIS SERVICE TO THE HOUSE OF 
                            REPRESENTATIVES

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JERROLD NADLER

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 1, 2024

  Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank Dr. Benjamin Talus for 
nearly three years of outstanding service to the constituents of New 
York's 12th Congressional District.
  Ben's career in the Capitol began as a House Page in 2009, where he 
was one of the last Pages to serve the House. A native of the 
Philadelphia suburbs, Ben's career has taken him far and wide, 
providing him with diverse experiences that helped cultivate his sound 
political judgment I have come to rely on daily
  Ben returned to DC in 2010 to pursue his bachelor's degree in foreign 
service at Georgetown University. In 2013, he interned for Hillary 
Clinton as she transitioned out of her role as Secretary of State and 
back into private life. This experience earned him a communications 
role with the Clinton Foundation following his graduation in 2014. In 
this role, he staffed former President Bill Clinton, riding alongside 
the Secret Service at events across the country.
  Directly advising one of the most powerful women in the world wasn't 
the most rewarding part of his tenure at the Foundation, however. It 
was where Ben met his future wife, Allie Gottlieb. Together, they went 
on to move to Miami where they worked together to send former HHS 
Secretary Donna Shalala to Congress.
  After Congresswoman Shalala's victory in 2019, they relocated back to 
Washington, where Ben served as Senior Policy Advisor until 2021, when 
he joined my team as my Foreign Policy Advisor.
  Ben dutifully supported my role as the most senior Jewish Member of 
Congress, advising not only myself, but also other Members looking to 
his foreign policy expertise. In the wake of the Israel-Hamas war, Ben 
has been working around the clock, fielding calls from other Members, 
stakeholder groups, and myself as we work to respond to the crisis. 
Ben's deep, complex understanding of the Jewish community and my 
district have been indispensable, and I could not be more grateful to 
have had him by my side during this difficult time.
  Ben's time in my office was marked several personal milestones--he 
married Allie, earned both a master's and a doctoral degree in 
international relations from Johns Hopkins, and adopted Teddy, his 
Lagotto Romagnolo puppy that is often the topic of office discussion.
  While his departure will be a profound loss for the House and my 
team, I'm pleased he won't be going far as he is moving to New York for 
his next chapter in the private sector. I look forward to seeing all he 
will accomplish, and most importantly, seeing Teddy enjoy Central Park 
as Ben practices his agogo in the meadow.

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