[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 130 (Friday, August 7, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S4560]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO TUCKER FAGAN

 Ms. LUMMIS. Madam President, I am honored to speak today about 
a remarkable man who has given decades of service to Wyoming and to our 
Nation: Tucker Fagan.
  Tucker's story begins in the New York City area, where he was raised 
alongside five siblings by parents who instilled in him a strong work 
ethic. His father, a firefighter, taught him to master whatever job he 
held, to be accountable no matter what, and to always keep a sense of 
humor along the way. That lesson would define his career.
  After college, Tucker enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in the late 
1960s and was assigned to F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne as a 
missile launch officer. It was quite a change from New York City, but 
the Cowboy State would soon become home, and if you see him today in 
his wranglers, boots, and hat, you would never guess he wasn't born to 
it. During his time at F.E. Warren, he mastered every detail of the 
missile system, from circuit breakers to hydraulic lines. That 
expertise caught the attention of senior military leadership during the 
height of the Cold War, and he was assigned to help develop a 
comprehensive war plan for national security.
  His work eventually brought him to the Pentagon, where the Joint 
Chiefs of Staff selected him to lead the nuclear warfare branch. There, 
he became the Nation's foremost expert on our war plan, ready to walk 
through it at a moment's notice. At one point, he knew the exact 
location of every nuclear site in the world by latitude and longitude. 
Let me say that again: by latitude and longitude. His work also helped 
shape what we now know as the ``nuclear football,'' the case of 
critical information kept always within reach of the President.
  Tucker's talent for explaining complex military strategy in plain 
terms drew the notice of President Ronald Reagan. In one briefing, 
after Tucker described his role as the expert on our war plan, 
President Reagan turned to Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger and 
said, ``We go to war, this is the guy I want to talk to.'' It is hard 
to imagine a greater compliment.
  After 30 years of distinguished service, Tucker retired at F.E. 
Warren, the place he had come to call home. Wyoming's gain was 
significant. Gov. Jim Geringer recruited him to serve the State, and it 
was around that time that I first came to know him. As CEO of the 
Wyoming Business Council, Tucker helped make our State one of the most 
business-friendly in the country, working closely and effectively with 
the legislature. Like so many others who have spent time in a room with 
him, I was struck by how he could command attention, spark real debate, 
and still be one of the kindest gentlemen you would ever hope to meet.
  When I ran for Wyoming's seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, I 
asked Tucker to join my campaign. He agreed, and after we won, I asked 
him to serve as my chief of staff. He accepted on one condition: that 
he remain in Wyoming. Being a Cheyenne girl myself, I understood 
completely. It was an unconventional arrangement, but it worked 
perfectly. For my entire tenure in the House, Tucker served as my chief 
of staff, trusted adviser, and friend. He also led my Service Academy 
Selection Committee, helping identify Wyoming's best and brightest for 
appointment to our Nation's service academies, work he continues as I 
serve in the U.S. Senate.
  After 8 years in the House of Representatives, I chose to not run for 
reelection and came home to Cheyenne. Tucker on the other hand, 
continued to find ways to serve Wyoming. He has been a longtime 
supporter of Cheyenne Frontier Days and was inducted into its Hall of 
Fame, quite an achievement for a man who had never ridden a horse 
before coming to Wyoming. He even officiated my daughter's wedding, 
somehow managing to work in a Mick Jagger reference, and it could not 
have gone any better. I have yet to find something Tucker cannot do, 
and believe me, I have tried.
  Tucker remains active in the community to this day. This August, he 
will be inducted into the Air Force Missileers Hall of Fame, a fitting 
tribute to a career defined by expertise, dedication, and service.
  Wyoming has been fortunate that the Air Force sent a young man from 
New York to Cheyenne all those years ago. If it were a lottery, we 
would have won the jackpot, though Tucker, ever modest, would likely 
just credit his father's advice: work hard, know your job, and never 
let anyone outwork you. Those of us who know him understand that his 
impact goes far beyond that. If he ever writes a book about his life, I 
will be first in line, asking for an inscription.
  Thank you, Tucker, for everything you have done for our dear State of 
Wyoming and our beloved country.

                          ____________________