[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 164 (Monday, October 6, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S6954]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO RONNA ERIN BECKMANN

  Ms. DUCKWORTH. Mr. President, it is with great pride and gratitude 
that I rise to celebrate the public service career of Ms. Ronna Erin 
Beckmann, who is departing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 
EPA, after 21 years of service in congressional and intergovernmental 
relations, first at EPA Headquarters in Washington, DC, and then at the 
EPA Region 5 headquarters in Chicago, IL.
  Ronna's dedication to EPA's mission, her extensive experience, and 
deep expertise was always evident in her ability to carry out 
meaningful, and often complex, engagement with diverse communities and 
congressional offices across the six States, including my State of 
Illinois, as well as Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio, Michigan, and 
37 Tribes.
  Ronna shepherded our offices through endless challenges, such as 
devastating floods in East St. Louis and Cahokia Heights, IL, and the 
train derailment in East Palestine, OH, to comprehensive lead abatement 
and major regulatory milestones that helped protect the health of our 
residents.
  Ronna handled each situation with incredible care, tailored to the 
specific needs of the unique issue and area. Ronna has always gone far 
above what was required of her, including attending endless community 
events and meeting with our offices weekly to ensure the people of 
Illinois felt seen, informed, and protected.
  Simply put, Ronna's work changed people's lives, and because of her 
dedication and service, the people of Illinois and the entire Region 5 
are closer to achieving our ultimate goal of ensuring environmental 
justice for all.
  My staff and I cannot thank her enough for helping us fulfill our 
constitutional responsibility to oversee, and work with, EPA to better 
protect our constituents' public health against dangerous pollutants, 
toxic exposure, and other environmental harms.
  Ronna's dedication, tact, and emotional investment in the Region 5 
communities she served will be greatly missed. As an Illinois resident 
herself, I hope Ronna knows that her character and leadership had 
untold positive impacts on the people of Illinois and the Nation. I 
thank her for her over 21 years of dedicated service to EPA and wish 
her well on her next endeavor.

                          ____________________