[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 107 (Monday, June 23, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S3491]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO ERIN MINKS

  Mr. BENNET. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize and honor the 
remarkable public service of Erin Minks, my senior advisor for rural 
affairs and regional director for the San Luis Valley. Erin dedicated 
two decades to Federal service--most of it in Congress--where she has 
been a tireless advocate for the San Luis Valley.
  Erin's Congressional career began in the offices of Senator Ken 
Salazar, Congressman John Salazar, and Senator Mark Udall. Her public 
service continued with the U.S. Forest Service, where she helped craft 
a forest plan for the Rio Grande National Forest that will guide land 
management for decades to come. For the past 7 years, I have had the 
great privilege of working alongside Erin in my office, where she 
brought extraordinary knowledge, dedication, and compassion to her 
work.
  There is hardly a person in the San Luis Valley who doesn't know 
Erin. Whether it is a veteran trying to access benefits, a water 
district applying for a grant, or a local official working on a new 
idea, Erin is the one they call. She picks up the phone. She shows up. 
And she gets results.
  Erin played a central role in delivering real progress for the Valley 
and rural communities across our State. She led the successful 
reauthorization of Colorado's three National Heritage Areas--South 
Park, Cache la Poudre River, and Sangre de Cristo--helping preserve 
Colorado's history and culture. She developed major pieces of 
legislation, including the Groundwater Conservation Easement Act--based 
on local requests to conserve the Rio Grande Basin's aquifer--and the 
RESILIENT Act to cut redtape for rural communities.
  Thanks to her advocacy, we have secured millions of dollars in 
critical Federal funding for community driven projects in the San Luis 
Valley. Whether through the congressionally directed spending process, 
grants, or other Federal funding opportunities, Erin knew how to 
navigate the intricacies of government to get her communities the 
resources they needed. She has been a relentless champion for the Rio 
Grande Basin, Rocky Flats workers, Adams State University, Colorado's 
potato farmers, and the communities that define the valley's identity.
  Beyond the policy wins, Erin exemplified what it means to be a public 
servant. She showed younger staff how to lead with empathy, build 
lasting relationships, and fight for the people they serve. Her work 
helped ensure rural voices are heard in Washington, and her presence 
has left a lasting mark on our State.
  As Erin moves on to her next chapter, I want to express my deepest 
gratitude and thank her family for sharing her with all of us these 
many years.
  Erin, we will miss you. Thank you for your extraordinary service. We 
wish you the very best in whatever comes next.

                          ____________________