[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 10]
[Senate]
[Page 14236]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                       IN HONOR OF PATRICK BENTON

 Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to 
Patrick Benton. I have had the good fortune of having Patrick as part 
of my staff since 1994, and I would like to thank him for all his hard 
work in his efforts on behalf of the people of South Dakota. Patrick is 
heading off to Colby College in September, and I have no doubt that our 
loss is their great gain.
  While in high school, Patrick organized and led a student rally to 
save the Rapid City School District counselors who were in jeopardy of 
losing their jobs. Patrick represented South Dakota on a trip to Japan 
as part of the Sony student project abroad. Patrick began work as an 
intern in my Rapid City Office in mid 1998, and eventually joined my 
staff full time in November of that same year. In September 1999, 
Patrick moved to Washington, DC, and has been a critical part of my 
staff ever since.
  Patrick has always been wise beyond his years, and he has built up 
the trust and confidence of the entire staff. Patrick has worked his 
way up to a Research Assistant position, and has been an invaluable 
resource in handling matters related to banking, telecommunications, 
labor, campaign finance reform, election reform, federal employees and 
the Postal Service. He has mastered a vast amount of technical 
knowledge in all of these areas. When people find out Patrick is on his 
way to college, they can't figure out how someone with such knowledge 
and judgment can possibly be only 19 years old.
  While we will sorely miss Patrick, I join with my entire staff and my 
wife, Barbara, in expressing our pride in Patrick's achievement and 
promise, and our thanks for his years of service to South Dakota. 
However Patrick chooses to apply his formidable intellect and talents, 
we will all be the better for it.

                          ____________________