[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 11 (Thursday, January 15, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E46]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING JENNIFER A. GOEDKE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 15, 2026

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor 
Jennifer A. Goedke, who is retiring from Congress after 25 years of 
public service.
  Jennifer comes from a hard-working family in Illinois, Her father, 
Richard A. Goedke, was a member of IBEW and PATCO, and she walked the 
picket line with him to fight for better labor conditions. Her mother, 
Dolores, was a working mom who successfully ran a medical practice 
while raising two children. Jennifer was the first in her family to 
earn a college diploma. It was there, at Monmouth College, where 
Professors Ira Smolensky and Stacy Cordery inspired her to spend a 
semester in Washington, D.C. as an intern for Congressman Lane Evans.
  After graduation, Jennifer's love of the institution led her back to 
Congress where she has spent 25 years working for distinguished 
Members, including Representatives Henry Waxman, Lane Evans, Marcy 
Kaptur, Lynn C. Woolsey, and myself. She capped her career as Chief of 
Staff for Congressmen Jared Huffman and George Whitesides.
  In her time on Capitol Hill, Jennifer has championed landmark gun 
safety legislation, including H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Check 
Act. As my lead staffer on the Gun Violence Prevention Taskforce, she 
sat with countless families as they worked through their grief and 
fought for solutions to end gun violence. She also helped to negotiate 
the USMCA trade agreement, expanded FMLA for military families, and 
shepherded countless community district projects to improve education, 
transportation, and wetlands restoration.
  Public service is in Jennifer's DNA. She finds practical solutions to 
problems and works across the aisle without reservation. Though she 
never forgot her Midwestern roots, she dedicated most of her career to 
California. In that time, she changed the landscape of Northern 
California policy and redistricting.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join me in recognizing the noteworthy 
career of Jennifer A. Goedke, her 25 years in Congress, and her 
dedication to the institution. It is my pleasure and honor to 
congratulate her on her years of service. I wish her the best in her 
next adventures.