[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 19]
[Senate]
[Page 26840]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    RETIREMENT OF CHARLOTTE MORELAND

  Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, today I want to honor an 
extraordinary person and one of my most dedicated staff who is retiring 
from service in the United States Senate, Charlotte Moreland.
  For 19 years, Charlotte has worked in my DC office, joining my team 
during my very first year in the Senate. And for all these years, 
Charlotte has always been an advocate for West Virginia. Starting in my 
personal office, Charlotte moved to the Veterans Committee when I 
became Chairman and found herself developing a voice and sense of duty 
for veterans in West Virginia and across our country. Over the years, 
she listened patiently as they expressed their concerns about a 
disability claim or health care. She took note as they told their 
stories of bravery and sacrifice. She remembered the details of their 
lives that made the difference in getting them the benefits they had 
earned. Charlotte then took those stories to help craft legislation to 
improve benefits for all veterans.
  She spoke eloquently on behalf of these veterans. As Charlotte often 
would tell those around her, VA is the second largest department in the 
United States, right behind the Department of Defense, and I have no 
doubt that many working for VA have heard the voice of Charlotte 
Moreland. Her voice was gentle, but firm, when urging VA to take a 
second look at a claim or to check their records for something they may 
have missed initially. But I have to tell you, this same voice would 
rise a few notches and not back down to get attention for a veteran 
whom she felt was being treated unfairly on a claim, unable to get 
medical treatment, or to ensure that a veteran got proper recognition 
with a headstone to pay one last respect to their service. When those 
times came, I often wondered how Charlotte maintained such a friendly 
working relationship with those at VA. She always smiled at me and said 
it was because they knew her heart was in the right place.
  For West Virginia veterans, she has been a tireless advocate. 
Whenever Charlotte saw a gap in services or an unmet need, she worked 
to fill it. Our State's four VA Medical Centers received numerous 
visits from Charlotte, and the facilities are better because of those 
visits. Over the years, West Virginia has expanded the number of 
veteran centers and community-based outpatient clinics so that veterans 
can have quality services nearby. Charlotte has made a real difference 
in the lives of many veterans and their families.
  Charlotte Moreland is retiring from my office after a distinguished 
career. You need look no further than the plaques and awards she has 
received from Veterans Service Organizations to know that she will be 
missed. You can hear praise in the telephone calls and the compliments 
in countless letters to my office to know that she will be missed. I am 
very proud that Charlotte Moreland has been on my staff for these many 
years, and I wish her all the best.

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