[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 101 (Thursday, June 12, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S3385]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO ERICA WHEELAN HEYSE

  Ms. LUMMIS. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize Ms. Erica 
Wheelan Heyse, who this June marks 25 years of extraordinary service to 
the Congressional Award Foundation, Congress's only charity and the 
highest honor available to America's youth.
  Since joining the foundation in 2000 and now serving as National 
Director, Ms. Heyse has transformed a modest recognition program into a 
nationwide engine of opportunity. Under her stewardship, the 
Congressional Award is active in every State, the District of Columbia, 
Puerto Rico, and the territories, engaging tens of thousands of young 
people in voluntary public service, personal development, physical 
fitness, and exploration.
  Her impact is best captured in one remarkable figure: 7,528 young 
Americans have earned the gold medal since 2000 under her guidance, 
each one a story of commitment, growth, and civic engagement that 
echoes well beyond the medal ceremony.
  Ms. Heyse's vision has always reached beyond accolades. She launched 
the STEM Stars Initiative, opening doors for girls and rural students 
to pursue science and technology careers; partnered with Intuit to 
create a free Financial Literacy Center, equipping medalists with 
essential money-management skills; and, during the COVID-19 pandemic, 
shifted statewide celebrations online so that no young person's 
achievement went unrecognized.
  Colleagues and alumni alike describe Erica's signature qualities, 
humility, relentless optimism, and an unshakeable belief in every young 
person's potential. Whether guiding a first-time volunteer in rural 
Wyoming or briefing corporate and military partners on Capitol Hill, 
she exemplifies the servant-leadership we seek to cultivate in the next 
generation.
  On behalf of the U.S. Senate, I ask that this tribute be entered into 
the Congressional Record so that future generations may know of Ms. 
Erica Wheelan Heyse's remarkable quarter-century of leadership. Her 
work has expanded opportunity, strengthened communities, and inspired a 
culture of service that will echo across our Nation for decades to 
come.

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