[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Page 18688]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING COLONEL ART WHITE, USMC

 Mr. MILLER. Mr. President, as a veteran Marine and friend, I 
rise today to pay tribute to COL Art White, who will complete his 3-
year tour of duty with the United States Marine Corps' Office of 
Legislative Affairs on December 1, 2004. I have had the pleasure to 
work with Colonel White on many occasions. In his role as the director 
of the Marine Corps' Senate Liaison Office, he has provided tremendous 
support while acting as the principal conduit for information between 
the Marine Corps and many Members of this eminent body. His affable 
personality and attention to duty contributed to a highly successful 
relationship between the U.S. Senate and the U.S. Marine Corps. His 
dedication to the Members of the United States Senate will be sorely 
missed.
  Art White was born and raised in Westchester, NY. After high school 
in New York, he attended Georgetown University, where he also played 
basketball for the Hoyas, graduating in 1976. In 1977, Colonel White 
received a commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps 
and subsequently reported to Quantico, VA, to take on the challenge of 
becoming a marine officer. During his subsequent 27-year career in the 
Marine Corps that included both active and reserve duty, Art served as 
an infantry officer, aide de camp to the assistant division commander 
of the 1st Marine Division, a communications officer, a civil affairs 
officer, a counterintelligence officer, and a reserve mobilization 
officer.
  In 1980, Colonel White left active duty and transitioned to the 
Marine Corps Reserve. He then attended the Seattle University School of 
Law, graduating in 1983, and began a long, distinguished career in 
public service. He served as a professional staff member for the 
Republican Policy Committee chaired by our former colleague from the 
great State of Texas, Senator John Tower; as a staff member in the U.S. 
House of Representatives; as the director of legislative affairs for 
the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in the Commerce Department; and as 
the deputy assistant director for legislative affairs for the 
Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.
  In December, 2001, Colonel White was ordered to active duty to serve 
as the director of the Marine Corps' Liaison office in the Senate. 
Since that time, he has been a key player in maintaining effective 
relationships between the Marine Corps, my colleagues in the Senate, 
professional committee staff, and personal staff members. In 
particular, he responded to thousands of congressional inquiries, 
ranging from such sensitive issues as notification of combat casualties 
during Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, to providing 
timely information on the operation, organization and budget of the 
Marine Corps. He also planned and executed approximately 33 
international congressional delegations. I had the pleasure of 
traveling on several of these congressional delegations with Colonel 
White and was greatly impressed with his service to the Members of the 
Senate. His strong acumen for social interaction carried over into 
Colonel White's ability to represent his service at numerous Marine 
Corps and Joint Service social events on Capitol Hill. Among others, 
these events included the Marine Corps Birthday Commemoration, the 
Joint Services Reception, and several Marine Corps fall and spring 
receptions--all important events that enabled me and my Senate 
colleagues to maintain relationships with the Marine Corps' senior 
leadership. His efforts throughout this period not only communicated 
the commandant's message to the U.S. Senate, but also upheld the Marine 
Corps' positive image and professional reputation on Capitol Hill.
  On behalf of the Senate, I thank Colonel White for his service to the 
Nation and the U.S. Marine Corps, and I thank his wife, Katherine Ann, 
and his daughter, Mary Rose, for their steadfast support while he 
fulfilled this essential duty. We in the U.S. Senate, and I personally, 
wish them all the best as Colonel White returns to his civilian career 
and tackles new challenges.

                          ____________________